FINAL VERSION FOR APPROVAL - Sdn Bhd - WWF Malaysia

Gunung Stong State Park Preliminary Management Plan
No.
Suggested
Areas of Study
1. Wildlife migration
and ecology
2. Forest
regeneration
3. Human-wildlife
conflicts
Table 6.13: Some Areas of Study Relevant to GSSP
Reasons
GSSP is mostly surrounded by forested areas, and is contiguous with
Belum-Temengor and other areas within the Titiwangsa Range and
not much is not known about the movements of wildlife within and
between these areas. For example, elephants have been observed
crossing the East-West Highway at Banding, and this migration
pattern should be studied by satellite tracking or other means, as
GSSP could also be part of their range. However, wildlife research
should not be limited to big mammals alone, bats could also be
radio-collared to ascertain their range.
Most of forests below 1,000m in GSSP have been logged before,
and therefore should be promoted as a site for studies on postharvesting
forest regeneration, as logging will not be carried out
again once the park is gazetted. For those areas that are heavily
logged, silviculture treatment should be introduced, to induce better
regeneration into primary forests. Research plots could be
established and promoted to universities and research institutions.
Large- and small-scale conversions of surrounding forestland into
agriculture have increased the incidence of human-wildlife conflicts.
Studies could be conducted to determine the best methods to
minimise these incidences. The study of wildlife ecology through
camera-trapping is but a beginning for understanding the dynamics
of the on-going problem.
4. Herbaceous plants The perennially moist conditions of GSSP have encouraged the
growth of herbaceous plants, typically orchids, gesneriads, and
gingers. The study of these plants should be promoted, particularly
in terms of their horticultural potential and sustainable harvesting for
establishment of ex situ collections.
5. Medicinal plants There are many plants with medicinal properties within GSSP that
could be promoted for study, and these include the Goniothalamus
spp. (kenerak), some species of Melastoma, and the Tongkat Ali,
Eurycoma longifolia.
6. Limestone ecology The limestone caves at Dabong should be conserved and managed
together with GSSP due to their significance. The limestone hills
have been known to harbour rare and endemic species of gesneriads,
balsams, begonias, and Monophyllaea spp., and the caves are batroosting
sites important for the fruit-farming industry. These caves
are easily accessible, and could be promoted for study on limestone
habitats. There is also a need to confirm the existence of plants
earlier reported to be present here, before any proposed development
threatens their existence. The series of caves within Dabong should
be explored and mapped, and their fauna documented.
7. Market research
and tourism needs
survey
8. Cost-benefit
studies
Infrastructural development in our protected areas quite often does
not include visitor consultation in the planning process. Illconceived
resorts become white elephants when they are targeted at
the wrong market segments, even when there is (as yet), low demand
for such development. Development in protected areas should be
guided by what the visitors wants, and not upon what decisionmakers
think the visitors want. Market research and tourism surveys
are, therefore, crucial.
Cost-benefit studies are much neglected in Malaysia, possibly due to
the almost subjective nature of agreeing to the discount rate, value of
benefits (biodiversity, potential for biotechnology, ecological
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