1 week ago
3
| ← Previous revision | Revision as of 10:25, 8 July 2025 | ||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
{{EngvarB|date=July 2025}} |
{{EngvarB|date=July 2025}} |
||
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} |
||
{{Infobox park |
{{Infobox protected area |
||
| name = Belait Swamp Forest |
| name = Talang Satang National Park |
||
| iucn_category = II |
|||
| image = Seria forest.jpg |
|||
| photo = Mouth of Rambungan River, Satang Besar Island, and Satang Kecil Island.jpg |
|||
| image_caption = Belait Swamp Forest |
|||
| photo_caption = Satang portion of the national park near the mouth of the Rambungan River showing Satang Besar and Satang Kecil Islands. |
|||
| map = Brunei |
| map = Borneo |
||
| type = [[Nature reserve]] |
|||
| map_caption = |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| map_width = |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| label = '''Talang Satang''' |
|||
| area = {{convert|1,492|ha|km2}} |
|||
| label_position = top |
|||
}}The '''Belait Swamp Forest''', also known as the '''Belait Peat Swamp Forest''',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Borhan Mohd |date=2024-06-11 |title=The Peat Swamp Forest of Brunei Darussalam: Some Preliminary Findings from the National Forest Resources Inventory 2023-25 and Opportunities for Research |url=http://www.forestry.gov.bn/SiteCollectionDocuments/PRESS%20RELEASE%20-%20BRUNEI%20DARUSSALAM%20CONFERENCE%20ON%20BIODIVERSITY%20(Day%202)_120624%201pm.pdf |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=Forestry Department}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://portals.iucn.org/library/node/7921 |title=The World Commission on Protected Areas 2nd Southeast Asia Regional Forum Pakse, Lao PDR, 6-11 December, 1999. Volume II - Papers Presented |date= |publisher=[[International Union for Conservation of Nature|IUCN]] |year=2000 |editor-last=Galt |editor-first=Annabella |edition= |location=[[Vientiane]] |pages=56 |language=en |editor-last2=Sigaty |editor-first2=Todd |editor-last3=Vinton |editor-first3=Mark}}</ref> is the largest and most developed coastal peatland in Brunei,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Peatlands in Brunei Darussalam |url=https://hazeportal.asean.org/peatlands-in-sea/peatlands-in-brunei-darussalam/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250613003519/https://hazeportal.asean.org/peatlands-in-sea/peatlands-in-brunei-darussalam/ |archive-date=2025-06-13 |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=[[ASEAN]]}}</ref> located within the [[Belait River]] system at Ulu Mendaram. Covering approximately {{Convert|25,000|ha}} of forested land in the [[Belait District]] of north-western Borneo, it comprises a mix of peat swamp, dipterocarp, and tropical heath forest. Recognised as one of Brunei's six key critical sites for biodiversity protection,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Brunei Darussalam - Country Profile |url=https://www.cbd.int/countries/profile?country=bn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009153024/https://www.cbd.int/countries/profile?country=bn |archive-date=2024-10-09 |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=[[Convention on Biological Diversity]] |language=en}}</ref> it has also been designated by [[BirdLife International]] as an [[Important Bird Area]] (IBA) due to its ecological significance.<ref name="bli"> {{cite web |date= |title=Belait Swamp Forest |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/belait-swamp-forest-iba-brunei |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240222201436/http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/belait-swamp-forest-iba-brunei |archive-date=2024-02-22 |access-date=2025-06-03 |website=BirdLife International |publisher= |quote=}}</ref> |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| nearest_city = [[Kuching]] |
|||
The peat swamp forest covers some 90,884 hectares, or 15.6% of the country as a whole, and is the second most widespread forest type in Brunei. The largest and most intact extent is in the Belait District, where it lies unbroken over the border into [[Sarawak]]'s Baram basin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Peat Swamp |url=http://www.forestry.gov.bn/SitePages/Peat%20Swamp.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250317105735/http://www.forestry.gov.bn/SitePages/Peat%20Swamp.aspx |archive-date=2025-03-17 |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=[[Forestry Department]]}}</ref> |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
| area_km2 = 206.6 |
|||
| established = 1999 |
|||
| visitation_num = |
|||
| visitation_year = |
|||
| governing_body = Sarawak Forestry Corporation |
|||
}} |
|||
'''Talang Satang National Park''' ({{Langx|ms|Taman Negara Talang Satang}}) comprises a group of four islands off the coast of [[Sarawak]], known for hosting the state's highest concentration of nesting [[Green sea turtle|green]] and [[hawksbill turtles]], both classified as endangered species. The surrounding marine environment serves as a crucial breeding, nursery, and feeding ground for a wide range of marine life.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-11-24 |title=Talang Satang National Park |url=https://sarawakforestry.com/parks-and-reserves/talang-satang-national-park/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222231018/https://sarawakforestry.com/parks-and-reserves/talang-satang-national-park/ |archive-date=2024-12-22 |access-date=2025-07-08 |website=Sarawak Forestry Corporation |language=en-US}}</ref> |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
The Belait Swamp Forest is a visible geographic feature in the huge peat swamp forest ecosystem of Brunei, which constitutes the most extensive swamp forest type in the nation. It occurs close to the coastline at low levels and is part of an outward-expanding seaward [[River delta|delta]]. The coastal wetland is typified by deep, waterlogged, and acidic peat soils, which were formed over thousands of years via the gradual build-up of partially decayed organic matter. In addition to the Belait Swamp Forest, the district also includes other peatland types, including upland peatlands on the [[Mukim Labi|Labi]] and [[Southern Ladan Hills|Ladan Hills]], and older basin or river valley peatlands along the middle and lower reaches of the [[Belait River]]. These are products of the district's differing topography and hydrology.<ref name=":0" /> |
|||
The '''Talang Satang National Park''' is a national park in [[Kuching Division]], [[Sarawak]], [[Malaysia]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Talang-Satang National Park |publisher=Sarawak Tourism Board |url=https://sarawaktourism.com/attraction/talang-satang-national-park/ |accessdate=2019-05-17}}</ref> It is Sarawak's first marine protected area, and covers the four islands [[Pulau Talang-Talang Besar]], [[Pulau Talang-Talang Kecil]], [[Pulau Satang Besar]] and [[Pulau Satang Kecil]] and surrounding coral reefs. |
|||
== Importance == |
|||
The Belait Swamp Forest is an essential part of Brunei's long-term forest and environment management plan. As part of the plan to expand its permanent forest reserve area in a direction towards the achievement of timber self-sufficiency, Brunei proposed the creation of the Belait Peat Swamp Forest Reserve according to Anderson and Marsden's 1988 forest resources development plan report. The purpose of this project is to meet growing local demand for woodwithout turning to exports, while maintaining sustainable forest development practices. Due to its both environmental importance and ability to meet national wood needs, the Belait Swamp Forest waschosen as an optimal site for the development. If triggered together with other reserves that are recommended, the scheme would addBrunei's reserved forest area by {{Convert|937|km2}}, or 41%.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Conservation_Atlas_of_Tropical_Fores/UTeuCwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Belait+Peat+Swamp+Forest+Forest+Resource+Reserve&pg=PA99&printsec=frontcover |title=The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Asia and the Pacific |date= |publisher=[[Macmillan Press]] |year=1991 |isbn=978-1-349-12030-7 |editor-last=Collins |editor-first=N. Mark |pages=99 |language=en |doi=10.1007/978-1-349-12030-7 |editor-last2=Sayer |editor-first2=Jeffrey A. |editor-last3=Whitmore |editor-first3=Timothy C.}}</ref> |
|||
Talang Satang is open to nature tourism although its primary purpose is nature conservation. Activities that visitors can engage in are scubadiving and snorkeling, but only outside the area of protection and conservation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Talang Satang National Park {{!}} Sarawak Forestry Corporation |website=sarawakforestry.com |url=https://sarawakforestry.com/parks-and-reserves/talang-satang-national-park/ |access-date=2021-05-11}}</ref> |
|||
Additionally, the forest is also prioritised in the nation's effort towards the fulfillment of the 2020 [[Aichi Biodiversity Targets]]. It contributes significantly to the coverage of swamp forest habitats for Brunei's protected area system, which already takes up 41% of national land area and will increase to 55%. The inclusion of the forest within national biodiversity planning is a sign of its designation under notable conservation categories, such as protection forests or national parks, marking its ecological significance and the need to conserve it further.<ref name=":1" /> |
|||
| ⚫ | |||
The IBA contains some forest reserves, but as a whole is vulnerable to [[habitat fragmentation]] from pipeline and road construction, and by wildfire.<ref name="bli" /> |
|||
[[File:Northern view of seaside at Palm Beach Resort.jpg|thumb|left|Northern view from [[Sematan]] Palm Beach Resort showing Talang-talang Islands.]] |
|||
Talang Satang National Park is a coastal marine habitat with sandy beaches, [[mudflats]], and rocky shores. Satang Besar and Talang-talang Islands have been identified as breeding grounds for turtles. [[Coral reef]]s and seagrass can also be found around these islands.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Mohd Long |first1=Shabdin |title=Sarawak Coastal Biodiversity: A Current Status |journal=Kuroshio Science |date=2014 |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages=73–86 |url=https://kochi.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=6386&item_no=1&attribute_id=17&file_no=1 |access-date=19 June 2023}}</ref> |
|||
==Flora and fauna== |
==Turtle conservation== |
||
The park was established to protect marine turtles; four species of marine turtles are known to nest in the park, including [[green turtle]]s and [[hawksbill turtle]]s. |
|||
The Belait Swamp Forest has been designated as IBA due to the fact that it is home to critical numbers of a variety of threatened and endangered bird species. Some of those that have been spotted are the [[black partridge]], [[Bornean crestless fireback]], [[green pigeon]], [[Storm's stork]], [[Wallace's hawk-eagle]], [[wrinkled hornbill]], Malay [[blue-banded kingfisher]], [[Blue-headed pitta|blue-headed]] and [[Fairy pitta|fairy pittas]], [[Bornean bristlehead]], [[hook-billed bulbul]], [[straw-headed bulbul]], and [[large-billed blue-flycatcher]].<ref name="bli" /> |
|||
Although turtles come ashore all year round, the main nesting season is from April to October.<ref>{{cite web |title=Talang Talang Islands - Sarawak's most important turtle sanctuary |language=en-US |website=Borneo Adventure |url=https://borneoadventure.com/destinations/talang-talang-islands/ |access-date=2021-05-11}}</ref> |
|||
== References == |
== References == |
||
