Belait Peat Swamp Forest
Location:
4°15'-4°39'N, 114°05'-114°29'E the western part of Brunei Darussalam on the Sarawak border, from the coast and Seria south for 40 km.
Area:
85,000 ha.
Altitude:
0-15m.
Biogeographical Province:
4.25.12
Wetland type:
21
Description of site:
A vast area of lowland peat swamp forest extending from the sandy coastal zone inland along the Sungai Belait. The site contains full undisturbed peat bog lenses with all six characteristic vegetation types. There are several ephemeral lakes, and some hot springs and mud volcanoes. The swamp is fed by one main river, the Sungai Belait, and its tributaries, rising in the hills of southern Brunei. Heavy local rainfall causes flooding to a depth of about one metre several times a year.
Climatic conditions:
Tropical monsoonal climate with an average annual rainfall of about 2,900 mm. The region is under the influence of the northeast monsoon from mid December to mid March, and the southwest monsoon from mid May to the end of October.
Principal vegetation:
Extensive undisturbed tracts of Shorea albida forest and other peat swamp forest communities.
Land tenure:
Most of the site is state owned, except in the coastal zone, where large areas are under concession to the Brunei Shell Petroleum Company. Surrounding areas are partly state owned and partly privately owned.
Conservation measures taken:
The swamp forest receives some protection under the Forest Policy of 1951. The area is managed by the Forestry Department.
Conservation measures proposed:
Various proposals have been made to establish wildlife sanctuaries, managed forest reserves and research forests.
Land use:
Oil wells and an LNG plant in the coastal area, some logging in the forest, and some shifting cultivation along the Belait River. A water pumping station, supplying two coastal towns, is situated on the river. Oil-drilling extends up to 32 km offshore along the adjacent coast.
Disturbances and threats:
The forest concessions are still fairly limited, but excessive and uncontrolled logging may affect the sustainable yield of the swamp forest in the future.
Economic and social values:
The wetland is an important forestry resource and provides a reliable source of water for the nearby coastal towns. It is an excellent example of a habitat type which is rapidly disappearing in other parts of Borneo, and thus has considerable value for scientific research.
Fauna:
Little information is available. The area is believed to support most if not all of the fauna typical of north Bornean peat swamp forests, but few studies have been carried out in the area. The Estuarine Crocodile Crocodylus porosus is still occasionally reported.
Special floral values:
The swamp forest is noted for its abundance of pitcher plants.
Research and facilities:
Very little research has been carried out in the area, and the fauna and flora remain poorly
known.
References:
Anderson (1973); Anon (1983); Farmer et al. (1986); Hydraulics Research Station (1979).
Criteria for inclusion:
1b, 1e, 2b.
Source:
Mohammad Jaya bin Haji Sahat and Euan G. Ross.