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...

Text by Ian Hall Photos by Ian Hall and Serena Lamb The forest around Borneo Rainforest Lodge (BRL) is home to an extraordinarily high density of orang-utans. More than 30 individuals are being monitored in a research program lead by the Wildlife Research Center (WRC) of Kyoto University. Wild orang-utans are very good for nature tourism and I reckon that during a three night stay at the Lodge there is an even chance of seeing at least one of those fellas. The WRC research program now has a new purpose built home at BRL thanks...

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...

I have learned from several sources that the buffer zone to Maliau Basin is to be logged again. It's unclear as to the extent of the logging but I've been told that it will affect the area around the access road, between the gate and the studies centre. The Maliau Basin Conservation Area Management Plan allows for the buffer zone to be logged once more using reduced impact logging (RIL). So far Yayasan Sabah (YS) have only formally implemented RIL on one small experimental plot near Danum Valley Conservation Area. In the early...

Arkitrek has recently completed concept design for 6 new VIP rooms at Danum Valley Field Centre (DVFC). These rooms are part of the upgrading and refurbishment work at the aging field centre which is necessitated by 20 years of operation in a harsh environment and recent expansion of rainforest research activities. Together with the new laboratory (see previous post) this accommodation will be jointly developed by Yayasan Sabah and The Royal Society SE Asia Rainforest Research Program. Primary funding will come from the Sekhar...