VAST PROSPECTS FOR M'SIA TO TAP ECO-TOURISM POTENTIAL FROM BELUM-TEMENGGOR TROPICAL RAINFOREST - EXPERT

BY TENGKU NOOR SHAMSIAH TENGKU ABDULLAH

IPOH (Malaysia), Oct 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has vast prospects to tap the
full potential of the eco-tourism industry, particularly in the Belum-Temenggor
Tropical Rainforest in Pulau Banding, Gerik, Perak, says international experts
on rainforest conservation.

" I think eco-tourism has a great future here. In fact, it can emerge as a
major industry in a few years. The future for eco-tourism in the Belum-Temenggor
Tropical Rainforest is very promising.

" Eco-Tourism prospects may probably double in the next 12 years," says
Robert William Carlson, Chief Administrator of Costa Rica's " Paseo de Stella
Tourism Complex".

He said Malaysia has tremendous opportunity to capitalise on the
rapidly-growing eco-tourism industry, especially in the north.

"This is what we have been talking about here in the northern corridor.

" It's a very interesting and exciting area ecologically. it is endowed
blessed with very high bio-diversity with abundant
charismatic mega flora and fauna such as tigers, elephants, tapiers and very
unique bird species like hornbills.

"It's the only place in the world that has 10 species of hornbills. The
blend of the natural greenery scenic landscape of the area plus the diversity
are ingredients to develop a healthy eco-tourism industry in that zone," Carlson
said.

He is among two international experts on rainforest conservation who
shared their experiences in conservation and sustainable management programmes
at the conference themed " Towards an Integrated Master Plan For Sustainable
Management of the Belum-Temenggor Tropical Rainforest" held here recently.

The two-day conference from Oct 21 opened by the Crown Prince of Perak, Raja
Dr Nazrin Shah, serves as a platform to develop an integrated master plan
for the country's priceless natural treasure.

The conference was hosted by the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority
(NCIA) in partnership with the Pulau Banding Foundation in an effort to expedite
the drawing up of the master plan for the tropical rainforest.

In comparison to Costa Rica, Carlson said Malaysia has better prospects as
it
has more "virgin" and untouched parks

Costa Rica has a good park system but it has cleared more forests than
Malaysia, he said, adding that only 25 to 30 per cent of the area in Costa Rica
is still under forest cover while the rest has been cleared for development.

" However, logging has stopped because of eco-tourism. This a good thing
that
has happened in Costa Rica," he said.

" Forest destruction has stopped due to higher revenue from eco-tourism
which
is a clean industry. If you log your forests, you get income right away but in
the long run you are scuttling your revenue.

" Once that's gone, you don't make any more money. Through eco-tourism, the
forests remain. Every year you make money and this is much better. It's a
cleaner and a long-term industry," he said.

Asked whether he would share his experience in the master plan formulation
for
the Belum-Temenggor Tropical Rainforest, Carlson said: " I give a talk here and
everyone is very keen on what happened in Costa Rica.

" I think they understand the opportunities and realise that
eco-tourism is different from mass tourism. Mass Tourism needs a different
approach altogether.


"You have to protect natural resources more, you can't allow the kind
of development that happens in mass tourism because the people who come here
want to see nature more than going to the beach and swim," he said.

He said there are a different kind of people in eco-tourism.

" It's easier to handle them as they don't demand as much.
They don't need a sauna or a swimming pool. They want to walk in the woods and
see elephants or be in the natural environment to enjoy the diverse flora and
fauna," he said.

On his experience in the Belum-Temenggor Tropical Rainforest during a
pre-conference tour, Carlson said: "I wish I could spend more time there to have
a chance to see more animals like hornbills and flying bats."

Carlson said he and his teammates, who were cruising on a motorboat along
the Banding lake, saw a five-year-old bull elephant bathing in the water.

On the integrated master plan, he said it was to draw up plans and
strategies to protect the "sensitive and precious" rainforest and resources
more than anything else and how to utilise the area in a productive manner.

" A lot of people are weary, including myself, as I've been engaged in
forest conservation work for quite a number of years."

"With the Temenggor Park logged sustainably, both the Temenggor and Belum
parks will not be adequate to provide protection to all the wildlife in the
rainforest.

He said tourists want to see bigger animals like elephants roaming about in
their natural habitat.

For birds like hornbills, they tend to migrate from one place to another

" You need a larger area. If the two parks can be consolidated, it will be
a much bigger area covering some 300,000 hectares," he said.

" This will provide sufficient space for the animals to move around freely
and to survive. This is very important.

" So, the best way is eco-tourism as you can have the industry in the
Belum-Temenggor Tropical Rainforest so as not to disturb the abundant flora and
fauna," added Carlson.

-- BERNAMA