FINAL VERSION FOR APPROVAL - Sdn Bhd - WWF Malaysia

Gunung Stong State Park Preliminary Management Plan
C. DEPOSITS
1. Research permit – refundable upon submission of report or thesis. 300.00
2. Rubbish deposit – refundable upon proof of no-littering. 50.00 per group
Nevertheless, it is suggested that visitors should not be fully charged for entering GSSP until
the facilities, areas of responsibility, and operating systems are fully in place. The charge of
RM2.00 for entering through the resort was originally to defray rubbish collection costs by
resort staff, but this should be reviewed pending the take-over of management of the resort by
KESEDAR. The Baha Camp charges meanwhile, are for maintenance and rubbish collection
at the campsite, use of site and for monitoring the activity of campers and their safety.
6.4.7 Location of Park Headquarters and Field Office
It is suggested that the park headquarters be located at the existing Kuala Balah Ranger Office
while a field office should be sited at the Stong Resort which is the gateway to GSSP, and
where there are sleeping quarters. The park headquarters is where park administration is
conducted, records are kept, and where staffs are based between fieldwork. Bookings for
entry could be addressed at both the park headquarters and the field office. The GSSP unit
based at the park headquarters reports directly to the Deputy Director, Kelantan Forestry
Department, Kota Bharu.
It is suggested that space be allocated at the field office for visitor registration, briefing,
collection of fees and permits, assignment of guides, and issuance of certificates. At the field
office, there should be a noticeboard that is prominently displayed, highlighting the rules for
visitors, and penalties for activities that are not allowed, together with an area map of GSSP,
highlighting the trails and summit destinations.
6.4.8 Siting of Ranger Posts
The shelters at designated campsites and summits can double up as ranger posts, where the
Park Rangers can use as temporary bases to make forays into the surrounding forests for
poachers. Presence, rather than enforcement per se, is more important in deterring would-be
offenders.
Permanent bases could be established at Park Headquarters, the entrance to the Sg. Semuliang
trail and at Lata Kertas.
6.4.9 Planning and Reporting
Short-term to medium-term planning (1 to 5 years) will likely be prepared by the Park
Officer, who will forecast expenditures (expansion of facilities, maintenance) and revenues on
the basis of past trends, and request a budget from the State Parks Management Committee
based on the forecasts. The information required for park planning and budgeting can be
obtained from a number of different reports as described in Table 6.4.
Table 6.4: Types of Reports and their Purposes
No. Type of Report Purpose
1. Visitor Volume Report To determine the number of visitors to GSSP in a year.
Visitor volumes will help in planning for expansion and
regulating their numbers (by pricing mechanisms), if the
carrying capacity and limits of acceptable change have been
breached. The visitor volume report can be expanded to
include demographic details on age, nationality, occupation,
and range of incomes, to help in designing activities,
facilities, and needs for the majority group (the target market)
of visitors, and make promotion more effective.
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