KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — The largest protected area in Sabah, the Crocker Range was recognised as a biosphere reserve area by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), yesterday.
According to a statement issued by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry here tonight, the Crocker Range was the second site which received the recognition after Lake Chini in Pahang in 2002.
Other than being a water catchment area, the 350,585ha Crocker Range comprises protected forestry and is resided by local communities.
“The listing of the Crocker Range will feature it as a learning site for sustainable development, prevent loss of biodiversity and communal cultures, enable exchange of expertise and sharing of information and promotion as an eco-tourism area,” said the statement.
To date, there are 621 biosphere reserves in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves encompassing 117 nations. — Bernama
