KOTA KINABALU: It was a sentimental journey back in time for Alec Brown, the youngest son of George Brown, a senior forestry officer who served in British North Borneo before and after World War II.
Alec, accompanied by his wife Sally, visited the Sabah Forestry Department on Wednesday (Jan 8), retracing the footsteps of his late father who worked under the renowned Conservator of Forests, Harry Keith, during the late 1930s.
The senior Brown, who served as an assistant conservator of forests, dedicated a decade of his life to the forests of Borneo, contributing to the early efforts in sustainable forestry management during a transformative era for the region.
In honour of his father’s legacy, Alec presented a collection of old photographs from George’s personal archive to the Sabah Forestry Department.
The images provide a glimpse into the forestry practices and natural landscapes of a bygone era.
During their visit, Alec and Sally met with the chief conservator of forests, Datuk Frederick Kugan, at the Sabah Forestry Department headquarters.
They also toured the Forest Research Centre in Sepilok, where they learned about ongoing research and conservation efforts.
Also present during the visit was deputy chief conservator of forests (Research and Development) Dr Arthur Chung, who joined the couple in reminiscing about George Brown’s contributions to forestry.
