INTRODUCTION :

MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETY (MNS)

MNS Mission: To promote the conservation of Malaysia’s natural heritage

Our story..

The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) is Malaysia’s

largest and oldest non-government environmental
organisation. The genesis of our society predates our
country’s independence – by a group of mainly British
expatriates deeply interested in our country’s lush
natural heritage decided that the abundant collection
of field notes and natural history records which they
had accumulated was vital to the country’s heritage
and should be published. In 1940, with the publication
of the Malayan Nature Journal Volume 1, the
Malaysian Nature Society was born.

MNS today, has over 4000 members, 12,000 student

members (Kelab Pencinta Alam KPA) with 14
branches spread across the country. MNS’ Kuala
Lumpur-based headquarters has now a team of 40
dedicated full time staff who see to the day-to-day
running of the society’s administration and activities

MNS’ overarching focus in everything it does is to conserve Malaysia’s diverse habitats.

Our key role is to protect Malaysia’s natural heritage, especially ecologically sensitive
landscapes. As a nation that is vigorously forging ahead in development, this is a key
factor in addressing Malaysia’s current and future environmental challenges.

MNS is an integral part of the Malaysian institution, working closely with the government,
bringing the conservation voice to Malaysia’s decision-making and planning platforms.
The society plays a significant national role in the Multilateral Environmental Agreements
(MEAs). In the last five years especially, we have represented national delegations to
the Conference Of Parties (COPs) of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Ramsar
& UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Climate change is a key
focus area, and we are a founding member of the Malaysian Climate Change Group
(MCCG) and a member of MYCAT (a tiger conservation network) as well as a founding
organisation of MENGO (Malaysian Environmental NGO). We sit on national
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) panels, national budget consultations and
various national and state-level consultations. MNS is also a partner, member and is
also affiliated to various international organisations, such as BirdLife International
(www.birdlife.org), Forest Stewardship Council, FSC (www.fsc.org), IUCN
(www.iucn.org), Climate Action Network South-East Asia (www.climatenetwork.org), and
many more.

MNS On The Ground..

MNS view ecologically sensitive and important sites as places where conservation is
demonstrated, feeding into advocacy. It is here at the field conservation site that efforts
and success translate into meaningful and far-reaching changes to Malaysian mindsets,
attitudes and commitments towards using our natural resources wisely.
 INTRODUCTION :
MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETY (MNS)

MNS & Protecting Habitats..

Our habitat protection work is guided by several

key documents produced by MNS such as the
Directory of Important Bird Areas in Malaysia-Key
Sites for Conservation.

These documents, together with national policies

such as the National Physical Plan, National Policy
on Biological Diversity, and many others, are used
to advocate for habitat protection.

MNS & Birds As Indicators and Conservation Tool..

Appreciating and conserving birds is a firmly

entrenched pillar of MNS, in 1995, we set up the Bird
Conservation Council (MNS-BCC), and the Birds
Records Committee, to cater for the specific needs of
bird conservation, data-basing, validation, and
promoting birdwatching.

Hornbills have been our flagship for habitat

conservation and management in Malaysia. With 10
species, two of which are globally threatened and
restricted range species, they exemplify the landscape approach to biodiversity
conservation, one we apply towards the conservation of the Belum-Temengor Forest
Complex. These are further used to improve the status of globally threatened birds.

In recognition of its major role in conservation and towards the Belum-Temengor cause,
MNS was awarded with the BirdLife International Partnership Award and the inaugural
Merdeka Award in 2008. This was at the heels of our other bird publications such as the
Suara Enggang series and Directory of IBAs in Malaysia - Key Sites for Conservation,
2007.

MNS & People..

Investing in people is what the Society is all about. Our Environmental Education
Division is the platform we use, to educate and raise future environmental stewards. Two
core areas define our efforts nationwide: school nature club programme, focusing on
students and teachers, and public environmental education centres. With 14 branches
throughout Malaysia, we are in contact almost on a daily basis, with the Malaysian
public, through nature activities, talks, conferences, events and the media. Furthermore,
we mobilize and empower communities in all of our initiatives, be it rural or urban
settings; advancing the internationally recognized Local Conservation Group (LCG)
initiative.
 INTRODUCTION :
MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETY (MNS)
The Society continues to document (and communicate) Malaysian natural history
through the Malayan Nature Journal (since 1940), and for public consumption, and our
membership, the Malaysian Naturalist, the foremost national popular nature magazine.
More recently, we have published a series of 7 Conservation Publications on various
topics as well as the bi-monthly Suara Enggang, a newsletter on local birds & resources.

MNS is also an embodiment of grassroots and act as

a catalyst and supporter towards many local
campaigns to conserve natural sites in danger. Our
latest efforts can be seen in public campaign
(exclusively as MNS or in support of other like-minded
organsations) campaigns the 'No To Sturgeon Project
2014), 'Save Selangor State Park' 2014, 'Save
Merapoh Hill' 2014, 'Save Gua Kanthan' 2014, 'Save
Chini Campaign' (Aug 2012) 'Save Bukit Kiara
Campaign' (Sept 2012), 'Save Gunung Angsi' (2012),
Save Temengor Campaign (2010), Save Belum
Temengor (2006), Save of Sharks (since 2004), Save Bukit Larut (2012), Save Penang
Hill (2012), Save Bukit Gasing (since 2006), Save Sg Buloh Forest Reserve (2004) and
many others. Our focus includes all communities within our conservation landscape
which includes the indigenous orang asli people.

MNS The Malaysian Voice..

Through our various successes and initiatives above, MNS embodies the essence of a
truly national conservation NGO; a civil society organization that inspires, commits,
delivers and contributes to the nation’s wellbeing.

Some of our achievements..

Protected areas. MNS played a key role in identifying, protecting, advocating the
gazzetment and managing of several protected areas, which includes:

Kuala Selangor Nature Park

Endau Rompin State Park
Batu Caves
Pulau Redang Marine Park
Taman Negara, Pahang
Pulau Tioman Marine Park
Tanjung Tuan Wildlife Reserve
Pantai Acheh National Park
Kota Damansara Community Forest (Sg. Buloh Forest Reserve)
Selangor Heritage Park
Royal Belum State Park
Ulu Geroh Rafflesia Site, Gopeng
Amanjaya Forest Reserve
Kota Damansara Community Forest
Merapoh Caves
 INTRODUCTION :
MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETY (MNS)
Habitat conservation & management
 MNS Forest Policy & Strategic Plan (2002-2010) – our policy towards
sustainable forest management
 Malaysian IBA Directory- Key Sites for Conservation, 2007. 55 IBAs listed,
feeding into Malaysia’s National Physical Plan, the national sustainable
development blueprint, including selection of important wetlands and
Ramsar sites.
 MNS Local Area Monitoring of IBAs (LAMIBA Programme) developed in
2005, providing Branches and members a framework to monitor IBAs. The
National IBA monitoring framework from BirdLife was later adapted to this in
2007, and now implemented at branches nationwide

Bird Conservation
 Hornbill Research Belum-Temengor Complex (2006 – on going)
 Asian Bird Fair, MNS was one of the 6 founding organisations established
in 2010.
 Malaysia’s first National Checklist of Birds published in 2005. Protection of
Wildlife Act 1976 recently revised based on this checklist – 240 revisions of
protection status nationwide.
 2nd Edition 'A Checklist of Bird the Birds of Malaysia' was published in
March 2015.
 National Bird Database online and the Suara Enggang (bimonthly bird
bulletin) in 1988.
 Bird i-witness (Malaysian Chapter of the Worldbirds database) launched in
2008
 Milky Storks - Captive-breeding programme (1997-2004), 9 free-flying birds
released in the wild.

Involving People
 Raptor Watch - annual public event, on national calendar, in 17th year,
attracting over 5,000 participants.
 Belum-Temengor Campaign – national campaign for the last unprotected
forest landscape in Malaysia (over 80,000 members of the public signed our
campaign letter to the PM & Menteri Besar in 2006, bringing about the
gazettement of Royal Belum State Park in 2009.
 Follow up campaign ‘Save Temengor Campaign was launched in 2010 and
is on-going, with about 82,716 members of the public signing our campaign
letter)
 Sarawak Nature Festival. Organised and conceptualised since 2013 by our
Kuching Branch, this unique festival continues to develop itself and is an
important event for East Malaysia.
 Kenyir Bird & Nature Quest has been ongoing since 2013, developed by
our Terengganu Branch and draws a growing number of visitors annually.
 Borneo Bird Festival 2009 – developed inaugural event with Sabah Toursim
Board to promote bird tourism in Sabah
 Asian Birdwatch 2005, involving 15 countires in the region, reaching out to
more than 70,000 people.
 Local Conservation Groups – Kpg. Kuantan community custodial system for
fireflies and mangroves; Kpg. Dew community ecotourism and fireflies
 INTRODUCTION :
MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETY (MNS)
program, Fireflies Festival (2011), Ulu Geroh community conservation of
rafflesia & birdwing butterflies; Bako-Buntal bay community management of
an IBA wintering site
 School Nature Club Programme set up in 1991 with the Ministry of
Education – 360 schools nationwide, involving 25,000 students and
educators with a start-up of only 10 schools in 1991.
 Environmental Education Centres – KSNP (1987), MNS-BOH Field Study
Centre (1989), NEC-FRIM (1993); Rimba Ilmu (1997), Langkawi (2008,
programme ended 2010): Environmental Interpretive Centre, Sepang
(2009) and EcoCare, Kertih (2010), Urban Environmental Education Hub
(soft luanch in Jan 2015) at Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur and in
collaboration with Vale Minerals Malaysia, we are also managing the Vake
Eco Centre, Lumut (soft launch Jan 2015).
 In October 2012, MNS launched the first Youth Environmental Expo and
KPA for Youth programme.

Marine & Coastal Monitoring

 EMMCE - Short for Environmental Monitoring of Marine and Coastal

Ecosystems. The project is designed to empower local stakeholders to
monitor the condition of coastal ecosystems within their surrounding area.
The local stakeholders are being trained to undertake monitoring activities
using simple monitoring methods in order to understand the state of these
ecosystems over time. It is also a project that monitors activities of marine
mammals in efforts to implement environmental policies in the near future.
Current project sites are located at Pulau Redang, Terengganu and Kota
Kinabalu, Sabah (launched 2011, on going).

 ROAR - Launched in June 2012, Restore Our Awesome Reefs is an

integrated coral rehabilitation project to help restore Tioman Island’s coral
reefs with an aim to restore, rehabilitate and educate local communities on
the importance of conserving our coral reefs. As of 2014, this project has
expanded into ROOTS, Revisiting Our Original Trees, a project that
involves local communities taking ownership in Tioman.

 Paddle for Nature - A unique activity that involved members of MNS and the
public between October 2014 to March 2015. The Peninsula Malaysia
coastline was monitored and activity- mapped by the conservation division.
Satellite public events were held to increase awareness on coastline
environmental issues.

Accolades..

 In 1991, MNS received the UNEP Global 500 Award

 In 1994 MNS received the Japanese Minamata Award for Conservation

and Scientific work at Kuala Selangor Nature Park.
 INTRODUCTION :
MALAYSIAN NATURE SOCIETY (MNS)
 For its consistency and long service towards the conservation campaign of
the Belum-Temengor Forest Complex Conservation Initiative, MNS was
awarded with the inaugural Merdeka Award in 2008. MNS remains the
only environmental group to be bestowed to date.

 For its outstanding conservation work in Malaysia, MNS was awarded by

BirdLife International, with its BirdLife International Partnership Award in
2008

 In 2012 the Kuala Selangor Nature Park which is run and managed by MNS
was awarded the Best Eco-Tourism Site in Selangor.

 In September 2012, MNS was awarded with the EU-Malaysian Chamber

of Commerce and Industry EUROPA Award 2012.

 MNS received the Community Engagement Excellence Award from

University Kebangsaan Malaysia in June 2013.

 MNS received Pertubuhan Cemerlang Award in March 2014 by the

Registrar of Societies, Ministry of Home Affairs.

 MNS was conferred with the Green International Awards 2015 by the
Korean Federation for Environmental Movements (KFEMCA)

End.