KOTA KINABALU: A Living Rainforest Restoration Lab will be established at the Maliau Basin Conservation Area and the Innoprise-Ikea Tropical Forest Rehabilitation Project (Inikea) sites.
This was made possible with the extended collaboration between Innoprise Corporation Sdn Bhd (ICSB) and Ikea’s Sow-A-Seed Foundation.
ICSB, the investment arm of Yayasan Sabah, and Ikea’s Sow-A-Seed Foundation have renewed their long-standing partnership for another 10 to 20 years, building on their 27-year commitment to forest restoration.
Yayasan Sabah director Datuk Seri Gulamhaidar Khan Bahadar said the collaboration was in its final planning stages to determine how the initiative would evolve over the next two decades.
“This new phase aims to advance research, education, and best practices in rainforest restoration, reinforcing both partners’ commitment to sustainable forest management,” he said at the recent launch of the Potentials, Challenges and Knowledge Needs for Restoration with Native Tropical Rainforest Trees workshop.
His speech was delivered by ICSB chief operating officer Douglas Joinol at the event, co-hosted by Ikea, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (Suas), and Yayasan Sabah at Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort.
The announcement coincides with a significant achievement for Inikea, which has successfully restored 14,009 hectares of degraded forest, meeting its target within the 18,500ha project area.
Since its launch in June 1998, Inikea has grown into Malaysia’s largest enrichment planting initiative and the country’s longest-running active forest restoration project.
“Our focus has been on rehabilitating native tree species, which is critical given Borneo’s extraordinary biodiversity of over 3,000 tree species.
Restoration efforts have included enrichment planting and liberation treatments, incorporating both dipterocarp and wild fruit trees in areas previously affected by logging and fire,” Gulamhaidar said.
Suas has played a key role in the project’s success, offering technical expertise and research support.
“This collaboration has transformed Inikea into a living laboratory, generating invaluable insights into tropical forest restoration,” he added.
The two-day workshop, attended by 80 participants from various agencies and organisations, focused on addressing knowledge gaps in native species restoration.
Gulamhaidar outlined key objectives, including developing a comprehensive research database and identifying policy gaps to support future conservation efforts.
“With this extended partnership, Inikea will become a model site for training, field courses, and education, attracting European and Nordic universities interested in tropical forest studies,” he said.
He also encouraged Ikea to continue engaging European institutions in conservation efforts at Inikea and the Maliau Basin.
“The success of this long-term collaboration between Innoprise Corporation and Ikea’s Sow-A-Seed Foundation highlights the power of international partnerships in addressing environmental challenges,” he said.
Beyond its restoration achievements, the project has laid the foundation for a sustainable forest management model that can be replicated in other regions.
“The Living Rainforest Restoration Lab represents our unwavering commitment to advancing forest restoration and ensuring a lasting impact for future generations,” he added.
While specific details of the extended partnership are still being finalised, the initiative will build on the strong foundation established over the past 27 years, aligning with both Ikea’s sustainability goals and Yayasan Sabah’s conservation and community development objectives.
Among those present were Sow-A-Seed Foundation chairman Åsa Skogström Feldt, Suas Associate Professor and Sow-A-Seed Foundation board member Dr Ulrik Ilstedt, Inikea project founder and Suas Professor Dr Jan Falck, and Yayasan Sabah Group Conservation and Environmental Management Division group manager Dr Waidi Sinun.
