SANDAKAN: The Sabah Forestry Department (SFD) marked a milestone in ecotourism governance with the successful conclusion of the Workshop on Developing Bird Hide Guidelines in Sabah, held on Aug 6 to 7 at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) in Sepilok.
Under the theme ‘Responsible Birding, Sustainable Tourism’, the workshop tackled the urgent need for structured guidelines to manage the booming bird hide industry while ensuring ecological integrity, visitor safety, and equitable benefits for local communities.
The workshop gathered over 50 key stakeholders, including District Forest Officers, bird hide operators, avid birdwatchers, licensed tour guides, and ecotourism advocates. Through interactive sessions—featuring expert presentations, group discussions, and field observations—participants explored strategies to harmonize tourism growth with forest conservation.
A major highlight was the proposal for a standardized bird hide classification system, designed to assess facilities based on infrastructure quality, safety measures, and visitor accessibility.
This framework aims to guide operators in improving hide standards, assist authorities in regulating permits and fees and enhance visitor experiences through transparency.
Additionally, discussions centred on sustainable revenue-sharing models, where proceeds from bird hide operations within forest reserves could fund conservation efforts, infrastructure maintenance, and community-led initiatives. Pilot implementations are expected in select reserves to evaluate feasibility.
In his closing address, Datuk Frederick Kugan, Chief Conservator of Forests, underscored that bird hide development must prioritize safety, environmental protection, and long-term viability.
He urged stakeholders to formalize operational and safety standards, align ecotourism practices with SFD’s conservation objectives and establish a working group to refine workshop insights into draft guidelines for statewide adoption.
With birding tourism gaining momentum across Sabah’s Forest reserves, this workshop sets a precedent for collaborative, science-based policymaking—ensuring that nature tourism thrives without compromising the ecosystems that make it unique. – James Leong
