FINAL VERSION FOR APPROVAL - Sdn Bhd - WWF Malaysia

Gunung Stong State Park Preliminary Management Plan
6.14 Capacity Building
To have an efficient management system, managers must know how and what to manage.
Managing protected areas is a new field to the Forestry Department, which traditionally has
expertise and skills related more to forest management rather than conservation or
ecotourism. As such, there should be a diversity and complementary of skills within staff of
GSSP, but with core skills in conservation and protected area management.
The formation of the Perlis State Park signalled a change in the roles of the Forestry
Department. Whereas the earlier emphasis was on sustainable management of forests and
timber harvesting, there is now a shift in responsibilities to also include protected area
management, which demands different academic disciplines and skill-sets. To satisfy this
requirement, additional staff with non-forestry disciplines in wildlife management,
conservation, or resource management must be employed.
At the institutional level, there must be a protected area unit within the Forestry Department
Peninsular Malaysia to coordinate, and formulate policies for new protected areas that are
managed by the forestry department. The protected area unit could be an expansion of the
existing Silviculture and Forest Protection Unit within the Forestry Department Peninsular
Malaysia. Properly managed, protected areas managed by the forestry department are good
public relations instruments to counter the bad press on logging and forestry activities. Apart
from changes in institutional set-up, protected area management must also be part of the
curriculum for forestry department trainees; as, in the future, there is likely to be more
protected areas managed by the forestry department.
Since there are no formal courses in protected area management in Malaysia, staff should be
sent for short training courses that are offered by institutions within the region. Pending
formal training, a short-cut approach is to make study visits to national and state parks in
Malaysia (e.g. Perlis State Park, Taman Negara National Park, Mulu National Park, Bako
National Park and Kinabalu Park) and within the region (Australia). The staff must also be
proficient in laws relating to protected areas, wildlife protection, illegal trade of flora and
fauna, use of forest resources, and abuse of facilities.
The ultimate outcome in capacity building is an attitudinal shift, to turn GSSP staff and
guides into naturalists, instead of mere protected area managers and guides. This is an internal
conversion that demands a change in entrenched mindsets, not only at state level, but also at
the federal level.
Those involved in GSSP must have a mix of core competency and knowledge in sciences, law
enforcement, management, and communications – areas of relevance that are outlined in
Table 6.12 below.
Table 6.12: Suggested Capacity-Building Areas
No. Areas of Training Description Target Audience
1. Biological sciences Plant and wildlife ecology, conservation, natural
history.
2. Geology and
physical sciences
Unique physical features of GSSP, origins of the
Stong granite formation, and the limestone hills
of Dabong.
3. Social sciences Understanding the history and culture of the
state and the locals, for improvements in local
community relationships.
4. Legislation
pertaining to
conservation and
environmental
A good understanding of the types of legislation
relating to conservation and environmental
protection in Malaysia, their rules, regulations,
enforcement, and penalties. Relevant statutes
include the the National Forestry Act
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Forest Rangers,
Asst. Park Officers,
Park Guides.
Forest Rangers,
Asst. Park Officers,
Park Guides.
Forest Rangers,
Asst. Park Officers,
Park Guides.
Park Officer,
Forest Rangers,
Asst. Park Officers,
Local