THE Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve (PHBR) marked its fourth anniversary today with a symposium, bringing together conservationists, researchers, and community partners to chart the future of sustainable development in the state.
State Housing and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri Sundarajoo Somu, who officiated the event, said PHBR’s designation by UNESCO in 2021 had positioned Penang as part of a global network committed to balancing people and nature.
“PHBR is not just a site for study or conservation; it is a responsibility. Protecting its unique ecosystems means protecting our heritage, culture, and the future of our communities,” he said.
Sundarajoo added that the reserve’s combination of hill and sea landscapes, stretching from Penang Hill to Teluk Bahang’s marine and coastal zones, including the Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS) and Penang National Park, made it one of the few biosphere reserves in the world to hold such diversity.
“This environment has become a ‘living laboratory’ for science, education, and community-led action,” he said.
Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) senior manager Shahril Nizam Cheah Abdullah said the anniversary was marked each year with new programmes or initiatives to reinforce PHBR’s mission.
“As one of the younger biosphere reserves, PHBR aspires to become a model for conservation, sustainable development, research, and education,” he said.
“Our efforts are centred on protecting biodiversity and cultural heritage while promoting sustainable tourism and supporting ecological research.”
He cited initiatives such as the Nature Classroom Programme, Trash Free Hill, the Penang Hill Heritage Forest Challenge, and the Penang Hill Festival as examples of how the reserve engages schools, visitors, and the wider community in conservation.
Other efforts include the Eco-Heritage Guide Certification Programme, which equips local guides with skills in natural and cultural heritage interpretation, and the Junior Rainforest Programme, designed to instil environmental awareness in schoolchildren.
Community activities, such as Nature Walks and the Nature Green Farm, also help promote ecotourism and sustainable living.
Shahril said these initiatives demonstrated how conservation and livelihoods could coexist, while the symposium itself aimed to foster collaboration between government agencies, research institutions, and community organisations.
Participants at the symposium are expected to discuss the role of biosphere reserves and their conservation efforts.
Among those present were UNESCO Regional Office for Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Timor Leste director Maki Katsuno-Hayashikawa, PHC Operations director Allen Tan, and CEMACS at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) director Prof Datuk Dr Aileen Tan.
Story by Edmund Lee