MESCOT Lake Restoration home

Wetland Lake Restoration - MESCOT Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo Salvinia molesta is an exotic and noxious water weed in the waterways of

eastern Sabah Borneo. Reported to have been introduced in the early 1990s,

this invasive water fern is presently engulfing the wetlands of the Lower

Kinabatangan, choking critical wetland habitats, turning once pristine lakes,

freshwater swamps and tributaries into festering sludge pits. Floods of 2001 introduced Salvinia into the Tungog Lake. Tears of dismay

and anger were the only thing to describe the MESCOT teams initial

realisation as one of their village’s traditional fishing grounds were engulfed.

Within a short 16 months this 18ha oxbow lake was completely covered. In

2005 when MESCOT team members attempted to remove the Salvinia more

than 1m of Salvinia sludge already lined the bottom of this endangered

aquatic habitat. Today the lake remains only 4-5m deep.

Through the funding support of Alexander Abraham Foundation (NY) the

MESCOT team piloted the removal of Salvinia in late 2005. It took 14 months

of grueling hard labour to finally removal the surface cover of Salvinia.

Today the MESCOT team cleans the lake on a monthly basis supported by

funds raised through tourism and volunteer support. * For more information, or to arrange a stay contact KOPEL Office

Before (2002-2005)

After (2007)

Salvinia today...

Learn more about the damage and continuing struggle

against this water weed... read more...

Epic Conservation Story...

In the face of much debate and scepticism the

MESCOT Initiative proves itself worthy of ...