Written by Wild Asia on 4 May 2009 with 0 comments. Be the first!

In sustaining the momentum, the pilot Sustainable Island Programme (SIP) that kick-started last year in conjunction with the International Year of the Reef has been extended for another 2 years. This time, the programme includes water quality monitoring of reef survey sites and eco-checks on resorts, thus keeping us on the pulse of our reef's health while at the same time giving us an insight to the challenges operators face in trying to meet the demands for more responsible tourism practices. Project Coordinator SHAFINAZ SUHAIMI gives a round up of the programme for the year.

The Sustainable Island Programme (SIP) 2009-2010 was approved by Sime Darby Plantation (SDP) on January 19, 2009, as a continuation of conservation efforts in 2008. A joint collaboration between Wild Asia (WA) and Reef Check Malaysia (RCM), SIP's vision is to promote sustainable destinations and responsible island development between the private sector, local communities and the Government.

The objectives of the SIP are to create the awareness about the fragile marine ecosystem, while at the same time highlighting the negative impact on the reefs and communicating these findings in order to develop holistic strategies to conserve and protect them.

A much more comprehensive and extensive programme this time, the activities under SIP 2009-2010 encompass the following:-

• Underwater reef monitoring surveys covering more dive sites and more islands to determine the impact and pressures on the reefs.

• Community outreach programmes through schools to instil the awareness amongst children and create a sense of responsibility towards the environment.

• Eco-checking island resort operators to identify environmental concerns and suggest ways to improve their practices to mitigating them.

• Marine water quality monitoring to supplement data gathered from reef surveys.

• SIP workshops to engage the private business sector (i.e. resort operators) to promote and share the best practices of responsible tourism.

Eco-checks on resorts

WA has aligned its Responsible Tourism Awards checklist with the first global standards called the Sustainable Tourism Criteria, which was launched by the Rainforest Alliance, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Foundation, and United Nation's World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) at the World Conservation Congress in October 2008.

Over the month of March and April, WA eco-checked a sample of willing resorts on Perhentian and Tioman islands using the revised checklist. The criteria serve as the minimum standard that any tourism business should aspire to reach in order to protect and sustain the natural and cultural resources - the very essence of tourism!

Using the checklist to eco-check resorts in Perhentian and Tioman Islands yielded insights on not only the negative impacts the resorts' operations create on the environment, but also the challenges the operators face in dealing with them, especially with regards to effective solid waste management, sewage treatment and managing sustainable water consumption.

Water quality monitoring

Upon reviewing the results of last year's reef surveys, RCM and WA mutually agreed that conducting marine water quality tests at the same survey sites would better support the findings and assist in identifying the root causes behind the stresses that coral reefs are facing.

The first round of water quality monitoring has been carried out in Tioman Island (on April 3-5, 2009), particularly along Salang River, which is an important mangrove ecosystem. The next batch of marine water samples will be taken from Perhentian Island's 10 reef survey sites from May 8-9, 2009, around the same time a group of certified EcoDivers will be conducting underwater reef surveys there.

The samples will be sent to an external lab where they will be tested for 11 physical-chemical parameters and 2 biological parameters, results of which will be interpreted using the Interim Water Quality Standards from the Department of Environment, based on the Malaysian Marine Environmental Quality Parameters.

Announcing the 2009 Responsible Tourism Awards

WA announced its 2009 Responsible Tourism Awards last month. An initiative established by WA in 2003 with the main aim of recognising tourism accommodations that are making a difference, the awards is the first of its kind in Asia for excellence in responsible tourism.

The resorts which have been eco-checked under the SIP are also in the running to win this year's awards. All finalists will be visited by our fact- finders and our judging panel will include the advisory team of Wild Asia, a senior member of the media, and an eco-architect.

Findings from the eco-checks, supported by results of the reef surveys and marine water quality tests, will be delivered back to the resort operators and relevant local authorities during one-day workshops open to those interested (registration is free-of-charge, however limited to 30 pax on a first-come-first served basis). It is envisaged that participants would take the opportunity to share amongst one another and learn about best practices for the benefit of not just their businesses, but also for the environment and the people dependent on it.

Giving back to the islands

What we have learnt during our surveys will be fed back to island operators and residents during island workshops. The first of the SIP workshop series will be held as follows:

• Tioman Island on May 27, 2009 (Venue: Pesona, Tekek),
• Perhentian Island on June 16, 2009 (Venue: Perhentian Island Resort, Perhentian Besar).

SIP 2009 Workshop Programme (draft)

For more information on:-

SIP09, contact the Programme Coordinator at SIP @ Wild Asia.

Click here for more on Wild Asia's Responsible Tourism Awards 2009