SOCIAL ASPECT
There are several community villages located adjacent to the USM SFMP area. At present, the communities from various villages do not rely on the forest produce from USM areas for their livelihood. However, USM SFMP has carried out many activities that involve communities to mitigate encroachment, increase awareness important of forest ecosystem functions through meetings, and provide long-term job opportunity to local community in forestry related works. In 2017, SFD had carried out eight (8) consultations and meetings with the Segama and Silam communities, and estate workers who are adjacent to USM SFMPÂ to follow up with arising matters such as poaching, wildlife disturbance, roads (especially for estates that are using forest roads) etc., and listen their concerns and suggestion to help in forest protection. This effort is essential to bridge communal understanding of the function and responsibility of the project area to the state and people of Sabah.
Besides that, an old burial site in Tapadong Cave at Merisuli FR was claimed by the communities from Kg. Opak of zone Segama and categorized as HCV6. These communities has been visiting and cleaning the burial site, occasionally. Due to these cultural claims, the management team establish boundary surrounding the burial area. In March 2017, community of Kg Opak, Segama had carried out maintenance of the boundary with the distance about 5500 meter (contract cost RM5,500) to protect and monitor the important community cultural site (Figure 13).
Consultation with community of Segama Zone (top) and Oil Palm Estate communities (bottom)
Consultation and FSC briefing with community Silam Zone
Figure 13: Boundary of Tapadong Cave in VJR Merisuli
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| Maintenance of Tapadong Cave boundary done by Kg Opak community in March 2017 |
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