Tropical Forestry Conference 2024 (TF2024), organized by Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), serves as a vital platform to explore solutions to the challenges faced by tropical forests.
Sabah’s Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Datuk Dr. Mohd Arifin Mohd Arif, emphasized the significance of preserving tropical forests for their environmental, social, and economic functions.
“It is crucial to conserve existing tropical forests and safeguard them from conversion to other land uses to ensure their continued role in sustaining biodiversity, climate regulation, and community welfare," he stated during the event's opening at UMS.
He highlighted that TF2024 is the second conference of its kind, following the inaugural virtual conference, TF2021.
The two-day conference brings together 97 participants, comprising 87 Malaysians and 10 international delegates from Indonesia, Thailand, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Japan, to share insights and research findings across various themes.
Dr. Arifin urged participants to maximize the conference as a platform not only for sharing research discoveries but also for strengthening local and international research networks to enhance tropical forestry management and conservation efforts in the region.
F2024 featured distinguished keynote speakers, including Datuk Frederick Kugan, Chief Conservator of Forests, Sabah Forestry Department; Dr. Wan Mohd Shukri Wan Ahmad, Director of the Forestry and Environment Division, FRIM; and also invited presenters included Tan Sri Abdul Majid Khan, Executive Chairman of Jawala Corporation Sdn Bhd.; and Prof. Dr. Ahmad Ainuddin Nuruddin, Project Manager of the Sustainable Management of Peatland Ecosystems in Malaysia (SMPEM).
Also attended the conference Vice-Chancellor of UMS, Prof. Datuk Dr. Kasim Mansor; Dean of the Faculty of Tropical Forestry, UMS, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Normah Awang Besar @ Raffie; Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests (Planning and Management), Sabah Forestry Department, Indra P. H. Sunjoto; and Chairperson of TF2024 Organizing Committee, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Maria Lourdes T. Lardizabal.
The conference reaffirms UMS’s commitment to fostering impactful collaborations and promoting sustainable solutions for tropical forestry conservation and management.
