Conservation Activities

Sungai (River in Malay) Pin Conservation Area is situated in a highly sensitive ecosystem at the Lower Kinabatangan area. Numerous scientific publications since the 1960s showed that the Lower Kinabatangan area has one of the richest biodiversity on earth. The size of the area allocated is 2,500 ha and is located within the plantation area of Sawit Kinabalu Group. The forest area in Sungai Pin, which was originally integrated with rattan planting by the Sabah Forestry Development Authority (SAFODA), was subsequently developed into an oil palm estate when the land was acquired by Sawit Kinabalu Group. Due to severe flooding and illegal land encroachment in the area, Sawit Kinabalu Group is currently maintaining only a small plot planted with oil palm at the Sungai Pin Estate. However, a large portion of this area is regularly inundated and therefore unsuitable for oil palm. Given their commitment towards the 3Ps, i.e Planet, People and Profit in sustainability, Sawit Kinabalu Group decided to conserve and reforest the flooded areas instead and widen riparian buffer zone along the Kinabatangan river, which includes an old-growth forest area in Bukit Mansuli. Hence, during the International Conference on Heart of Borneo in 2017, Sawit Kinabalu Group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sabah Forestry Department through the Sabah EU-REDD+ Project on the establishment of Sungai Pin Conservation Area. The collaboration aims to establish an effective conservation management plan for Sungai Pin Conservation Area that will help enhance its carbon stocks through REDD+ initiatives.