KOTA KINABALU: About 106kg of false dandelions, which is known as an invasive species, have been destroyed in a move to weed out such plants along Mount Kinabalu’s heritage site routes.
Such invasive species are threatening the endemic plants and organisms there.
Sabah Parks ecology research officer Vanielie T. Justine said that 98 invasive species had been identified in this World Heritage site.
If invasive plants were allowed to grow uncontrollably, he said, it would affect the ecosystem in the area.
“It would slowly destroy plants that are only available there,” he said.
Sabah Parks and the Ikatan Guru Muslim Malaysia (i-GURU) held a three-day programme, which started on Aug 31, to monitor and weed out these alien plants.
A total of 67 participants, symbolising Malaysia’s 67th National Day celebrations, scaled the mountain while destroying the invasive plants.
“For this programme, participants managed to destroy 106kg of false dandelions,” he said, adding such efforts were vital to protect the endemic plants and organisms in the area.
i-GURU chairman for Sabah, Muhamad Amin Ribbang, said the event was part of its ongoing programmes to promote educational activities among staff and students.
He said it was important to hold such programmes to create awareness and encourage learning among the communities, while doing something for the society.
“It is our hope to elevate Sabah’s education level as high as Mount Kinabalu,” he said after the event.
According to Sabah Parks, Kinabalu Park is a hotspot for plant biodiversity with an estimate of around 5,000 to 6,000 vascular plants found there.
These plants which comprise 200 families and 1,000 genera (species) made up 14% of the flora in the Malesia phytogeographical region or about 2.5% of the earth’s flora.
