Faculty of Civil & Environmental Engineering

NATURE
CONSERVATION
BFC 10202
Part C5 : Conservation :
Principles and Practices
C5 : Conservation : principles
and practices - objectives
To be introduced to the principles of
conservation
To understand the practices in
conservation
Know few examples of conservation
efforts in Malaysia
Topics

I : Conservation : Concept and principles

II : Conservation practices : in situ and ex-situ
III : Examples of ecosystem conservation
a. Forest ecosystem management
(lowland/highland)
b. Marine ecosystem management
c. Freshwater/wetlands ecosystem
management
d. Other ecosystem management
 I : CONSERVATION :
CONCEPT & PRINCIPLES
Concept of CONSERVATION
How does conservation comes about
Why conservation important to the world
Why conservation important to Malaysia
Who is responsible for conservation
Sustainable development
Practical examples of successful conservation effort
Principles guiding conservation
 Concept of Conservation
1. Rehabilitation eg degraded environment
2. Protection eg through legislation
3. Sustainable use eg cut & replant forest

Conservation of natural Environment, natural

resources (biodiversity)
Conservation/preservation of built environment eg
old building, graveyards
Bako - Sarawak
How does conservation comes about

The need to maintain a good environment for people to live

safely and happily/healthy
History :
America : land use by black American worries the white
American government
Europe : private land for sport / hunting affected
Malaysia : following the global trends and awareness about
pollution, conversion of land uses
Why is conservation important to the
world
Sharing of one planet EARTH
Pollution and other environmental problem do not know
political boundary
Rapid and effective communication make the world smaller
spread of diseases
Distribution of wealth among global community hungry
people are angry people
Use of resources among biodiversity rich countries wise?
PEACE ON EARTH
Why is conservation important to
Malaysia
Sustainable development Socio-economic
development of people

Sharing with global community of Malaysian nature

Biodiversity (including ecosystem) conservation is

critical as last bargaining power for Malaysia
 Sustainable development
The use of natural resources in a manner that will not
affect the opportunity for the future generation to
develop using the same natural resources

Concept :
Continuity in development
Intergenerational aspects
Who is responsible for conservation

EVERYONE

Government decision-makers
NGOs
Private sectors
Scientists
People

CHALLENGES culture and belief, age, level of knowledge,

human behavior
Practical examples of successful
conservation in Malaysia

JOHOR :
Endau Rompin
Ramsar Sites Tg : Piai, Kukup,

SABAH
Maliau Basin
Danum Valley
Ramsar Sites Segama/Kinabatangan
Gn. Kinabalu
Principles guiding conservation

P1 : Changes are evolutionary

P2 : Ecology is dynamic

P3 : The presence of mankind

P1 : Changes are evolutionary

Naturally changes happen very slowly

Do not expect to see negative effect of human

activities to environment immediately

Although it may look as if there is no effect IT IS

HAPPENING VERY SLOWLY
P2 : Ecology is dynamic

Every things depend on others interdependency

Affecting one component will eventually affect

another along the line

Eg: using pesticides to kill pest (that may also kill

other beneficial organisms eg spiders) will results
in explosion of population of other pests principle
of interdependency
P3 : The presence of mankind

Human activities that degrade environment will

eventually affect human welfare
When we do conservation we are thinking of people
II. CONSERVATION PRACTICES
When one wants to practice conservation one asks
oneself three questions:
1. What do we want to conserve?

2. Why do we need to conserve them?

3. How do we conserve them?

Three questions to ask
when doing conservation
1. What do we want to conserve?

2. Why do we need to conserve them?

3. How do we conserve them?

 What do we want to
conserve?
Biotic (living) or abiotic (non-living) factors?
Biotic which level : genetic or species or ecosystem?
Size, morphology
Characteristics and behaviour (preferences)
Interactions : biotic (+man) and abiotic factors in the
shared environment or external environment
Why do we need to conserve
it?
Are they important to man?
How are they important?
Utilitarian, services, ecological processes
Cultural, belief or religious
How do we conserve it?

Very much depend on what to conserve and why do need to

conserve
Biotic component : ex-situ & in-situ
Need conservation plan Management plan
Monitoring
Cultural, political and economic influences
The roles of public awareness and education
Depend much on literacy level of people
Basically conservation is done
:

In-situconservation
Ex-situ conservation
In-situ conservation

Definition : conserving in its site of origin

Principle : having the same environment

make conservation easier and better and
encompassing other factors

Examples : national parks/state parks

Conservation in practice in situ
Normally ecosystem/habitat conservation

Conservation carried at/in its original/ natural location

Examples : lowland forest (Danum Valley, Endau Rompin),

wetlands (mangrove, peatswamp), highlands (Kinabalu,
Mulu), caves (Gua Madai, Gua Gomantong)

Bigger size, bigger and more problems

Eg. In-situ conservation Mt.
Kinabalu
Danum Valley
Lowland forest of Danum
Valley
Ex-situ conservation

Definition : Conservation carried out outside its site of

origin

Principles : removing from original site makes

conservation more difficult as environment may differ,
but could be manipulated to facilitate control of
various factors better then not conserving
Conservation in practice ex-situ

Normally species or genetic conservation

Conservation carried outside its natural/original location

Examples : plants-arboretum (Pasoh), fernarium UKM;

animals - zoos and wildlife sanctuaries (eg Sepilok orang
utan sanct.); gene/seed banks (MARDI, RRIM, PORIM)

Has its own set of problems eg : power generation,

human resources and expertise
 6 items to consider when formulating
a management plan for any ecosystem
1. Types of ecosystems

2. Heterogeneity and dynamics

3. Size and shape

4. Association with other ecosystems

5. Previous natural history

6. Biotic, abiotic factors & ecological interactions

CI(1) : Types of ecosystems

Grassland? Forest? Lowland? Highland? Terrestrial?

Marine? Freshwater?

Different types of ecosystems have different living and

non-living components, and physical environment eg
temperature, humidity
CI(2) : Heterogeneity & dynamics

Different ecosystem have different living and non-

living components and thus different interactions

Homogeneous eg grassland mainly grasses few

interactions

Heterogeneous eg tropical lowland forest many diff

types of trees and animals
Mangrove less heterogenous than tropical rainforest
CI(3) : Size & shape

Small easier to manage than large

Round easier to manage than thin and long

perimeter length and core area size
CI(4) : Associations with other
ecosystems
Are there other kinds of ecosystem adjacent to the
ecosystem to be managed?

Are there other ecosystems within the ecosystem to

manage?

How is their associations?

CI(5) : Previous natural
history
Was the ecosystem to manage originally there or was
other type of ecosystem before?
 CI(6) : Biotic, abiotic factors &
ecological interactions

What kind of living and nonliving components are

present in the ecosystems

How are the interactions between these components

Egs of ecosystem conservation

Mangrove : Larut Matang Mangrove Perak

Lowland forest : Endau Rompin Johor & Pahang
Heath forest : Maliau Basin - Sabah
Wetlands : RAMSAR Site in Johor, Sabah, Sarawak
 4 basic principles in good
conservation management
1. Critical ecological processes & biodiversity composition
must be maintained

2. External threats must be minimized and external

advantages be maximized

3. Evolutionary processes must be conserved

4. Management plan should be adaptive and non-intrusive

P(1) : Critical ecological processes & biodiversity
composition must be maintained

The status of ecological balance in a site depends on

composition of living things and interactions between
them
Any disturbance to biodiversity composition or
ecological processes will tilt the ecological balance
Ecological processes egs : pollination,
decomposition, mating, interactions (parasitism,
mutualism etc)
Biodiversity composition : the proportions of
occurrence of groups of animals, plants or microbes
P(2) : External threats must be minimized
& external advantages be maximised
External threats threats outside the ecosystem to be
managed eg. Polluted river water flowing from outside
into forest (source of water for people or animals)

External advantages good factors outside ecosystem to

be managed eg. Patches of forested areas that may
contain some biodiversity
 P(3) : Evolutionary processes must be
conserved

Evolutionary processes eg. Mating, pollination,

flowering, fruiting, pregnancy, giving birth, laying
eggs
Evolutionary processes ensure continuity of
flora/fauna/microbe to occur in ecosystem to be
managed
 P(4) : Management plan should be
adaptive & non-intrusive
Several factors related to ecosystem to be managed could
change, thus management planned prepared must take
into consideration of the possible changes
Eg. Boundary (legislative changes), uses of ecosystem
(education, economic/ tourism etc),
 III : EXAMPLES OF ECOSYSTEM
CONSERVATION
a. Forest ecosystem management (lowland/highland)
b. Marine ecosystem management
c. Freshwater/wetlands ecosystem management
d. Other ecosystems management
a. Forest

Characteristics of tropical rainforests

Where are they
Why are they special
Threats
Overcoming threats
Characteristics of Malaysian
tropical rainforest
Evergreen
Huge hardwood trees with valuable
timber
Lianas/climbers and epiphytes
Large buttresses
Where are they

Malaysia lowland Main Range, Taman

Negara, Endau Rompin, Sabah, Sarawak,
Heart of Borneo

Malaysia highlands : Main Range, Gn Stong

(Kelantan), Gn. Kinabalu (Sabah), Gn Mulu
(Sarawak), Gn Ledang (Johor)
Why are tropical rainforest
special
Green lung replenish oxygen
Carbon sink
Climate modifiers
Water sheds (supply water)
Gene banks / gene pools / biodiversity
NTFPs including tourism, medicines
NTFP food, handicrafts
NTFP - tourism
NTFP tourism attraction
NTFP - healthcare
NTFP traditional medication
Bird watching generate income
Biodiversity at canopy
generate income
Uses of forest
and
marine products
Craft from NTFP
NTFP tourism icon
TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE
TRADITIONAL MEDICATION
Threats to biodiversity
Deforestation & fragmentation
Forest fire
Degradation
Biodiversity loss/erosion/extinction
Loss of human livelihood
Loss of genetic pool
Deforestation
Forest fire
Tropical wind/storm
Water pollution
Overcoming threats

Education environmental education

Laws and enforcement
b. Mountains

Highland conservation
Importance
Characteristics
Where (Distribution)

STOP HERE 12 11 14
Highland conservation

0-500m asl : lowland

500 750m asl : hills
750-1000m asl : lower montane
>1000 m asl : mountain
Mount Kinabalu
Mt Kinabalu ~ 4100 m asl
The Crocker Range Sabah
highest point 1100m asl
Importance of highlands

Highlands are climate modifiers wind breaker ,

facilitate precipitation and distribution of rainfalls
Watersheds
Specific environment for eg highland
vegetable/flowers/tea eg Cameron Highland
Tourism industry
Characteristics

Depend on rocks, soil that determine types of

vegetation
Granitic eg Main Range
Limestone eg Gn. Mulu
Where

P. Malaysia main range

Sabah Gn Kinabalu, Gn. Trus Madi
Crocker Range, Meligan range
Sarawak Lanjak Entimau, Similajau,
Gn Kinabalu
Ranau district, Sabah
73,370ha
State park managed by Sabah Parks
Over 4000 spp of vascular palnst, 1200 known orchids
600 ferns
Over 90 lowland mammals including sun bear and
pangolin, birds over 300 spp, 2900 spp butterflies
Threats clearing of land around park for road and
cultivation
Gn. Mulu - limestone

Miri division, Sarawak; 52,866ha

National park manged by National Park
Lowland mixed dipterocarp, lowland forest on
limestone, heath, caves
Flora over 3500 vascular plant spp, highlevel of
endemism, 425 pteridophyte, 109 palms, 8000 spp
fungi
Fauna over 67 mammals, 262 birds all 8 spp hornbills,
23 spp lizards, 25spp snakes, 74 frogs, 320 fish, 20000
invertebrates, 8000 beetles
Threats to gn. Mulu

Threats logging around perimeter, hunting pressure,

construction for roads and tourism facilities
Gn. Lanno, Perak
Quarrying
Tabin limestone, Sabah
Tabin limestone, Sabah
Gua Gomantong, Sabah
Swallows that provide birds nests
Threats to limestone caves and hills

Limestone quarrying
Unsustainable marble industry (excavation)
Guano, birds nest harvesting
Tourism
Acid rain
Forest fire
Not protected
Marine ecosystem

Local and eco-region approach

Sulu sea conservation
Single species conservation
Marine parks
Sustainable harvesting
 Table 1: Fast facts of coastal and marine ecosystems in
Malaysia
Category Malaysia / World
Length of coastline 9,323 /1,634,701km
Percent of population 98%/39%
within 100 km of the coast
Area of continental 335,914/24,285,959
Shelf km
Source: EarthTrends Country Profile: Malaysia, 2003 (8).

 Percent of Mangrove 7% 13%

forest protected
Number of Mangrove 36 70
Species
Number of Seagrass 9 58
Species
Number of Scleractinia 72 na
Coral Genera
 Internat. Legal Net trade 130 na
in Live Coral
Number of Marine 111 3,636
or Littoral Protected Areas*
Wetlands of International 384 730,116km2
Importance*
 Average annual 1,300,000 `84,000000mt
capture of marine fish
Average annual 188,000 12,100000mt
capture of mollusks and
crustaceans
Aquaculture prod 12,8132,623,888mt
-uction of marine and
diadromous fish
 Aquaculture production 70,22410mill mt
of mollusks and crustaceans
Territorial sea 152,367/18,816,919km2
(up to 12 nautical miles)
Claimed Exclusive 98,173/102,108,403 km2
Economic Zone
Local and ecoregion approach

Conservation at local level eg. Coastal area of

Pontian, Senggarang, Tg Piai, Tg Labuh (Johor)

Ecoregion : Sulu-Sulawesi conservation project

South China Sea
Sulu sea conservation

Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines aggreed to conserve

the waters of Sulu Sea
Legislation and R&D activities
Conservation of special marine mammals eg
dugong, blue dolphin
Corals and other marine invertebrates
Threats to marine ecosystems

Pollution chemicals (eg oil spill), irradiation, solid

waste
SLR : Sea Level Rise (due to melting of ice global
warming
Heat of sea water killing small organisms (food chain
affected)
Bleaching of coral due to chemicals
Coastal erosion
Single species conservation

Eg. Dugong conservation

Marine Parks

Eg. Tg Abdul Rahman Parks (Sabah)

Pulau Tioman (Johor)
Pulau Langkawi Geo-Park
Sustainable harvesting

Fishing deep sea, using small meshed

net bad for sustainability
c. Fresh water and wetland

RAMSAR sites in Malaysia

Why is fresh water ecosystem important
Problems with freshwater ecosystems in
the world
Ramsar sites in Malaysia
SIX

Tasek Bera (the first)

Johor 3 : Tg Piai, Puli and Kukup Is.
Sabah Segama/Kinabatangan
(one is in the making KK Bird Santuary)
Sarawak Kuching National wetland
Why is freshwater ecosystem
important
Source of water for drinking, domestic
uses, industrial uses
Climate modifier
Hydrological system
Freshwater organisms its own ecology
Water for vegetation
Filtration system
Flood mitigation
Fresh water organism from
Sayong Pinang River
 Problems with freshwater
ecosystem in the world
Pollution chemical and solid waste, human waste
Eutrophication (when aquatic plants infest)
Siltation
Drying up
Impregnation of salt water
Kinabatangan second longest
Pollution of water
EUTROPHICATION
Mangroves

What? Where?
Why are they important
Where are they
Examples Aceh, Sri Lanka during tsunami
of 2006 (27,000 people died)
What and where are mangroves
ecosystems in malaysia

Dominated by mangrove vegetations eg

Rhizophora spp, Brugea spp, Aviccenia
spp, sea shells, mangrove crabs, mud
skippers trees tolerant to salt water
Along coastal regions of peninsula
Malaysia (eg Larut Matang, Tg. Piai),
Sabah (Klias, Tuaran) and Sarawak
Why are mangrove important
Wave breaker
Nutrient rich
Root system provide security for young animals
Nursery
Source of water for drinking, domestic uses,
industrial uses
Climate modifier
Hydrological system
Freshwater organisms its own ecology
Water for vegetation
Filtration system
Flood mitigation
Biodiversity in mangrove
ecosystem - shells
Unique fauna - mudskipper
Migrants
Medicinal plants
Eg. Of usefulness tsunami in
Aceh
Asian tsunami Aceh 270,000 died
No wave breaker mangrove was
destroyed
Income generating
What have we leaned in C5

We have learned concept and principles of

conservation
In practice 2 types of conservation in situ and
ex situ concept, problems, examples
we learned examples of successful
conservation effort : marine, wetlands,
lowland forest, highland
Six issues in ecosystem conservation
Four basic principals in ecosystem
management