Imbak Canyon, one of the last virgin lowland rainforests of Sabah, Malaysia, isn't for the faint of heart. DAY ONE 7:15 AM August 13, 2011 - Ian rolls up in with Ishmael in a beefy air-conditioned jungle truck and Daniele and I throw our backpacks in the back. For the first six hours the roads are paved and for the last two through the palm plantations, as bumpy as the surface of the moon. I am sick the entire time anyway and everyone is patient with my vicious heaves. Poor Ishmael is fasting all day long...

Cover image courtesy of Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Text by Ian Hall Applications for this position are now closed Malaysian Nature Society are looking for a volunteer architect or designer to help them with the fit out of their community outreach centre in Gerik, Perak. Start date: 30th Jan 2012. Applicants should contact Arkitrek using our contact form. The volunteer will take the lead in space planning the first floor of the ‘Hokkien Association’ building in Gerik. Work will also include design of furniture,...

One year after cessation of logging in Ulu Segama Malua, timber is still being trucked out of this area under cover of darkness. Late in 2008 it was common to pass 30 or more fully laden logging trucks during the 2-3 hour journey to Danum Valley Field Centre or Borneo Rainforest Lodge. I interpreted this glut as the last binge before the forests in this part of the Yayasan Sabah concession are converted to more sustainable use such as eco-tourism, scientific research or ecosystem services. Now thankfully most tourism...

Arkitrek are designing a jungle camp near Poring hot springs on Mt Kinabalu in Sabah. The project is to be built by the local fellas and aims to find a creative new expression for indigenous building forms and locally available materials. When complete the jungle camp will be used by voluntourists engaged in community and conservation work, naturalists, schools groups and adventurers. A love of nature and be acceptance of the challenge of living in the rainforest is a pre-requisite for working on this job. The work will...

He held the mud crab still with his bare feet whilst deftly tying up the claws with a length of pink raffia. Job done, the fisherman tossed his catch into a bucket. On our request the second fisherman sorted us out half a dozen choice crabs and a bargain was done. Our two boats parted company and we left the fishermen to their work. Sungai Sedili Kecil is not on the tourist track but that’s why I was there as a guest of Wild Asia. Our job was to assess the community based eco-tourism tourism potential of this proposed Ramsar...