SANDAKAN: The enduring collaboration between the Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) and the International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME) reached another milestone with the successful convening of the 21st Project Steering Committee (PSC) Meeting on the Mangrove Rehabilitation Project in Sabah, held at the Forest Research Centre (FRC), Sepilok.
The meeting was chaired by Datuk Frederick Kugan, Chief Conservator of Forests, and brought together officers from various SFD divisions, ISME representatives, and research collaborators, all united by a shared commitment to safeguard Sabah’s mangrove ecosystems.
ISME was led by Prof. Shigeyuki Baba, with Prof. Toyohiko Miyagi and Prof. Hideaki Yanagisawa in the ISME delegation.
After the opening remarks by both parties, the session started with a presentation by Dr Joseph Tangah of SFD, highlighting the SFD–ISME Progress Report for 2024–2025, which outlined key achievements and ongoing efforts in mangrove rehabilitation across the state.
His report emphasised the continued success of joint field activities and monitoring initiatives under this international collaboration.
He further emphasised that this is the longest international collaboration undertaken by SFD, of some 14 years, since 2011! On ISME’s part, Prof. Toyohiko Miyagi and Prof. Hideaki Yanagisawa presented, while Ms Lilian Jose and Mr Sikula Magupin of Universiti Malaysia Sabah presented their ongoing mangrove research work in collaboration with SFD.
In his closing remarks, Datuk Frederick Kugan expressed appreciation for the continuous dedication and scientific contributions of ISME and SFD researchers, as well as UMS, emphasising that “sustained collaboration and knowledge sharing are key to ensuring that Sabah’s mangroves remain a thriving natural heritage for future generations.
The 21st PSC Meeting once again underscored the shared vision of SFD and ISME to advance science-based mangrove conservation, rehabilitation, and sustainable management through collaborative research, capacity-building, and innovation.
