FINAL VERSION FOR APPROVAL - Sdn Bhd - WWF Malaysia

Gunung Stong State Park Preliminary Management Plan
9. Carrying capacity
and limits of
acceptable change
10. Socio-economics
of local
communities
services, etc.), costs, and the time-frame of these streams of costs
and benefits. GSSP would make a good test-bed for developing a
better valuation method for protected areas in Malaysia.
This is important in determining the maximum visitor loads in the
various zones within GSSP, especially when the increase in visitor
impacts goes beyond a certain level that, in turn, decreases the value
of their experience. However, this is not an exact science, due to
differing views on the limits and capacities of GSSP to absorb
impacts.
This study should also include the willingness-to-pay concept, i.e.
how much visitors are willing to pay for maintaining their privacy
within a wilderness area.
Except for the occasional surveys on income levels and population
of local communities conducted by the JPBD and the Departmemt of
Agriculture, there have been few, if any, studies done on the local
communities’ perception and expectations, and the value of GSSP to
them. Only by a consultative approach, and after such baseline
information has been obtained, will it be possible to design
appropriate programmes for community development, provided they
are willing to be part of such programmes.
6.15.2 Procedures on Specimen Collections
Procedures on specimen collection could closely follow those of Perlis State Park, as
provided in Section 7 of its Forest (State Park) Rules 2002, consisting of the following subsections:
“7.(1) No research or study may be conducted within the state park without a permit
issued by the Director, subject to subsection (2).
7.(2) A permit for the purpose of research or scientific study in the park and relating to
any living organism obtained from or found in the park may be granted to a person
or organisation after a proper application in Form A has been duly submitted to the
Committee.
7.(3) No such permit may entitle the holder thereof to take, collect, possess, or keep or
convert into another form any specimen beyond the boundaries of the area or areas
designated in the permit for such research study, unless prior written permission
has been granted thereof authorising him to do so.
7.(4) The Committee may impose additional terms and conditions to the permit in so far
as they are not incompatible with the terms and conditions imposed by the
Enactment.
7.(5) No researcher or person assisting the researcher or his agent or worker may
conclude his fieldwork in the designated area of research or study unless a
discharge certificate has been issued by the Director or his authorised agent.
7.(6) A discharge certificate shall be issued if the Committee is satisfied that all
reasonable care has been taken by the researcher to safeguard the ecological
condition of the designated research area and no harm to the environmental or
aesthetic integrity of the designated area has been occasioned either deliberately or
through unprofessional lack of care or through malicious recklessness by the
researcher, his assistant, agent or worker.
7.(7) The Director shall maintain a record of errant researcher and each holder of a
research permit shall be deemed to have authorised the Committee to communicate
the identity and other personal details of the researcher and his record of noncompliance
to other organisations or bodies upon request for the same.”
96