Environmental project

Volunteers working on environmental projects in Borneo carry out conservation work in areas not accessible to tourists to increase access to environmental resources, conduct research, or raise awareness. Raleigh Borneo have a long-standing partnership with Yayasan Sabah, working together to build infrastructure in Imbak Canyon, a class one protected rainforest. More people have been to Everest base camp than have ever been to the Imbak Canyon, as Yayasan Sabah has exclusively asked us to help them protect the area.

Here are some examples of volunteer projects you may be working on. Please be aware that these may change and are just a guide to the types of environmental projects we work on during a Raleigh Borneo expedition.

MORF - Reforestation project, Kampung Bowang Jamal, Kudat District
MORF is a new conservation programme designed to actively pursue re-forestation through collection, cultivation and replanting of forest trees in order to reclaim barren areas. The initial objective is to establish a ‘field base' and ‘rainforest nursery' to supply indigenous tree species to land obtained through donation, purchase on behalf of the organisation or any other means possible.

This project is only just starting and will benefit hugely from having Raleigh International volunteers involved. During the project Raleigh plans to; build an accommodation area for future volunteers to work on the project, create a nursery to provide trees for replanting on land obtained by MORF, to collect saplings from the local area.

The project is located approximately 4 hours drive from Kota Kinabalu and is quite close to an active community, the real bonus about this project is that it is only a short walk to a beautiful beach.

Sepilok - Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
Probably the most exciting new conservation initiative in Borneo, this is a truly unique project. The Sun Bear is the smallest of the nine bear species in the world. With little known about the animal and its numbers decreasing something needs to be done to secure its future. The new Conservation Centre was conceived by leading researcher Wong Siew Ti. The idea is a very similar model to that of the neighbouring Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary.

The centre will aim to raise awareness of the plight of the Sun Bear. It will allow for the rehabilitation of Sun bears that have been kept in captivity or orphaned. Those that can't be released back into the wild will have the best life possible. Through a visitor programme the centre will become self funding with any profits used for further research of the species.

The BSBCC is completely unique as it is a collaboration of so many different bodies working for a common goal. Raleigh groups will be supporting the project by helping with the construction of parts of the conservation centre, mainly fencing, enclosures and boardwalks. The project is being overseen by LEAP whom is working very closely with two government bodies, The Department of Forestry and The Department of Wildlife.

Raleigh volunteers will be involved in a variety of work to help the bears to be released into their new homes at the start of 2010, this work is most likely to include fence and boardwalk construction and possibly an access bridge. This is going to be a truly challenging start to this project. Sepilok is on the eastern side of Sabah, a 7 hour drive from Kota Kinabalu, on good roads.

All of our volunteer projects are sustainable and genuinely needed by the communities we work in. Find out more about how we plan our projects and our project partners in Borneo