The Habitat Foundation is deeply committed to conserving biodiversity and natural environments. We work closely with government agencies, academic institutions, conservation practitioners, and partners in the community to bridge important gaps in preserving areas of conservation significance and protecting threatened species. Our conservation work focuses on science-based, pragmatic, strategic and timely interventions for measurable conservation impact.
In this work we are guided by the goals set in the United Nation’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, more commonly known as the Aichi Targets, as well as national policies such as Malaysia’s National Policy on Biological Diversity, the National Physical Plan, and the National Ecotourism Plan, among others. All these plans emphasize how preserving biodiversity benefits humanity and underline the need for new and greater levels of participation in biodiversity conservation interventions from all levels of society – from local communities and community-based organizations to industry and the private sector.
THF Conservation Grants are awarded to projects and initiatives that are undertaking innovative and strategic work towards key conservation outcomes.
2019/2020 CONSERVATION GRANT RECIPIENTS
Strengthening capacity for biodiversity conservation impact among CBOs in Greater KL
Kota Damansara Community Forest Society (KDCFS) was established in 2011 to serve as the official community counterpart to the forest reserve which was gazetted for protection in 2010. Today, it is regarded as a model community-managed urban forest and a demonstration of public participation (National Policy on Biodiversity). The Society has received a grant from the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) to implement a 20-month project to establish a common platform to protect remaining green areas in the Klang Valley and create a more hospitable landscape for biodiversity in the sprawling urban metropolis. The Habitat Foundation is strengthening this initiative by providing co-funding to boost capacity for project coordination, networking and successful project delivery.
Building Sustainable Schools – engaging and empowering young green changemakers
Building on Think City’s Green Corridor initiative to encourage schools to use their fields for urban biodiversity gardens, this project will support six schools in composting, strengthening green corridors, and growing herbs and vegetables. Led by GreenSmiths, it will enlist other local organizations to help mentor the schoolchildren in establishing and maintaining edible and biodiverse gardens.
Testing the potential for the Effective Food Waste Composter (EFWC) to reduce waste on Penang Hill
This EFWC is an invention of Assoc. Prof Dr Che Zalina Zulkifli from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and is designed to provide an efficient option to accelerate the transformation of food waste into compost. This project is being supported as an innovation under our sustainability pillar. It aims to provide a solution to reduce the amount of food waste produced on Penang Hill that is disposed as general waste and finds itself in the state landfill. It will involve working closely with Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) to install two Food Waste Composters (EFWCs) which will serve food vendors, cafes and restaurants on the hill.
Rewilding and restoring native species to the urban landscape
Urban Biodiversity Initiative (UBI) is an independent collective for urban ecology research, conservation and environmental education. Based at the Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden at Universiti Malaya, they have received a THF Conservation Grant to implement a project promoting the rewilding of urban landscapes through education and community engagement. This project will lay a foundation for integrating biodiversity gardening into the wider urban greening agenda, engaging multiple stakeholders and develop resources for communities, as well as local institutions and government authorities.
Community-based mangrove restoration in Cherating and Chendor, Pahang
This project invests in the mangrove restoration work being done by MNS Pahang in Chendor and Cherating, a popular destination for community-managed ecotourism. Besides its importance for local livelihoods, the area allows people to learn about the role of mangroves in coastal and fisheries resource protection, and as a nature-based solution to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Developing native tree nurseries with local Jahai in Royal Belum State Park
In Royal Belum State Park, The Habitat Foundation is partnering the Perak State Parks Corporation (PSPC) and Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC) to pilot an innovative programme to engage Jahai Orang Asli within the park to establish native tree nurseries from the seeds of wild fruit trees, dipterocarps, and other target species. Saplings from the nursery they will be purchased to be planted at sites important to restore connectivity to the Central Forest Spine.
Conserving the migratory shorebirds and wetlands of Teluk Air Tawar-Kuala Muda Coast
The Shorebirds Project of Peninsular Malaysia led by Dr Nur Munira will use its Conservation Grant to continue monitoring and documenting the abundance and diversity of birds visiting the TAT-KM Coast. This data will communicate this to shorebird researchers worldwide. Using an integrated approach combining research, community engagement, and education and outreach to engage with key agencies and stakeholders in support of the protection of the remaining mangroves of the coastline and socialize the potential value of this area for nature tourism with benefits to local livelihoods.
Song of the gibbons: an ethnoprimatological approach to conservation of the Hylobatidae
Song of the Gibbons is a collaboration between the School of Social Sciences and the School of Biological Sciences at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). It is part of an innovative three-year study using passive acoustic monitoring to better understand gibbon population ecology in and around Taman Negara National Park. The study enlists members of the Bateq hunter-gatherer community at the fringes of Taman Negara National Park as co-researchers. It is led by anthropologist Lye Tuck-Po, who has a longstanding relationship with this community.