Brunei Darussalam’s dedication to biodiversity conservation is evident through its national strategies, including Brunei Vision 2035 and Brunei Darussalam National Climate Change Policy, said Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab. She said this at the plenary session on Kunming – Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM GBF) during the Brunei Darussalam Conference on Biodiversity at the International Convention Centre in Berakas yesterday.
Hajah Tutiaty, on her paper ‘Biodiversity Conservation and Protection in Brunei Darussalam – Living in Harmony with Nature’, said that Brunei has adopted strategies that align with global initiatives such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, with the aim to integrating its efforts with the KM GBF.
“Currently, with the adoption of the KM GBF, Brunei is updating its national biodiversity strategies and action Plan (NBSAP) to align with the framework’s goals of enhancing existing biodiversity strategies,” she said. According to her, Brunei being located on Borneo Island is a global biodiversity hotspot with rich marine biodiversity.
The Sultanate’s forest covers 72 per cent of the land area, while marine biodiversity thrives in coastal waters spanning approximately 41,118 square kilometres (km). The country’s coastline is about 161km with shallow shoals and patch reefs, showcasing high marine biodiversity, especially in the Coral Triangle vicinity.
The permanent secretary added that Brunei boasts some 15,000 plant species with 5,600 recorded in the Brunei National Herbarium, indicating ongoing discoveries. Fauna diversity includes 127 mammal species, 506 bird species, 182 amphibian and reptile species, 801 fish species, 410 coral species, 331 marine mollusc species, and over 2,244 insect species.
Brunei’s forests, despite its small land area, host seven main forest types, with the mixed dipterocarp forest covering 33 per cent, and peat swamp forests, the second most extensive at 16 per cent.
Rare heath, or kerangas forests, cover less than one per cent, while mangrove forests cover three per cent and play vital roles in coastline protection and marine fauna breeding, she said.
She also noted that Brunei’s current records of 4,279 flowering plant species, with 65 endemic species reported, particularly concentrated in Kuala Belalong. Ongoing research continues to unveil new species, with the semi-slug and land snail being the latest discoveries.
She believes effective management strategies are crucial to conserving the Sultanate’s rich biodiversity. Legal frameworks, including the Forest Act and Wildlife Protections Act, complement international agreements such as CITES. Three ministries oversee biodiversity protection, with the Forestry Department playing a pivotal role. Forest management emphasises sustainable practices, conservation efforts and gazetted forest reserves covering 41 per cent of the land area. Forest conservation strategies include regulating annual logging production, no logging in peat swamp forests, intensive silvicultural practices in logged-over forests and tree planting initiatives.
“With the establishment of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam Botanical Research Centre,” she said, “it further contributes to biodiversity conservation through research and education. Marine biodiversity management, led by the Department of Fisheries, includes establishing marine protected areas and implementing coral reef rehabilitation programmes.”
She also said, “Moving forward, Brunei plans to revise its NBSAP with a whole-of-nation approach, incorporating evidence-based research and stakeholder engagement to address emerging challenges and strengthen institutional arrangements for biodiversity management and protection,” she said.
The three-day conference launched yesterday is held in conjunction with the Brunei Mid-Year Conference (Brunei MYCE) 2024. – Rokiah Mahmud
