INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0148(I)

[OKKAR66127@xxxxxxx]

INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0148(I)             Date.29-9-97

This office presents our readers with an article by U Tun Yin (F.D.)
?MYINMO-LETKAT NATURE RESERVE - A GREAT POTENTIAL FOR FUTURE  TOURISM IN
MYANMAR? 

		Myinmoletkat Nature Reserve is situated
 in the Taninthayi Division, Tavoy District of Myanmar. The proposed
Myinmoletkat Reserve is a biosphere type reserve with an enormous potential
to become a World Heritage. It is an area of one million hectares (2.5
million acres) of land 
which encompasses Heinza Kaleinaung and Luwaing reserved forests with rich
wildlife resources that include the rare and endemic specie of Sumatran 
rhinoceros. 
		On 2nd September 1996, the signing 
ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding for 
the establishment of the Myinmoletkat Nature Re
serve took place between the Forest Department 
and the Moattama Gas Transplantation Company. 
The ceremony was held at the International Busi
ness Centre (I.B.C) at 10.00 a.m and was attended 
by H.E. Lt-Gen Chit Swe, Minister for Forestry 
and H.E. U Khin Maung Thein, Minister of En
ergy and 90 invited guests. Offcials and staff of 
the Department of Forestry also attended the 
ceremony. 
		Speeches were delivered by Director 
General, Doctor Kyaw Tint, and by the General 
Manager Mr. M.H. Madeo of the M.G.T.C. Then 
the Memorandum of Understanding for the 
establishment  of the Myinmoletkat Nature Reserve was signed and  exchanged
by Dr. Kyaw Tint and his counterpart Mr. M.H. Madeo and the ceremony 
came to a close.
		The Myinmoletkat Nature Reserve with 
the ultimate intention  of creating a World Heri
tage site, the Myinmoletkat Biosphere Reserve will 
embrace and safeguard significant natural ecosys
tems and diverse flora and fauna species of 
Myanmar. The two parties to work together in protecting a magnificent part of
Myanmar?s natural wealth and beauty. The M.G.T.S is an experienced company
with over 40 years dedicated to efforts in human and social tasks. The work
is being carried out by ?TOTAL FOUNDATION? a nonprofit 
organization, dedicated to protecting biodiversity, whose sole task is to
carry out environmental projects. The Foundation 
operates in the Mediterranean region and South-east Asia, 
Thailand and Indonesia, and the Myinmoletkat Project forms a part of an
overall regional environmental strategy.
		Myanmar is a country with more than half of its land areas endowed with
different types of forests and 
vegetation, stretching from the northern snow capped 
temperate areas through the central subtropical regions down to the coastal
tropics within 10 degrees of the equator, where 
tropical rainforests and unique mangrove forests flourish. Myanmar is rich in
ecosystems and biodiversity. These 
ecosystems and the wealth of flora and fauna are given 
protection and managed under the updated Forest and Wildlife Acts. The
Myanmar Forest Policy has envisaged designating 30% of the land area as
reserved forests and another 10% as parks and wildlife sanctuaries under the
Protected Areas System. Fifty three species of mammals, 106 species of birds
and 15 species of reptiles are being protected throughout the country. Apart
from these, the country possesses many endemic species, large tracts of
representative ecosystems and spectacular national landscapes, seascapes and
sea beaches. The southern forests of Central and Southern Taninthayi remain
largely untouched and still support wonderful wildlife, such as tiger,
elephant, tapin and it is still optimistically hoped that the Sumatran
rhinceros still survives there. 
		Animals, plants and man have been living together for millions and millions
of years. An American Indian Chief, Seattle, in 1854 stressed that.
		?What is man without the beast? If all the beasts are gone, man would die
from a great lonliness of spirit, for, whatever happens to the beasts soon
happens to man. All things are connected.?
		It is clear that Myinmoletkat Reserve is for the future of Myanmar. In this
reserve we see the natural systems and biodiversity surviving intact. The
Forest Departmant is proud to be associated with the Moattama Gas
Transplantation Company in promoting nature and wildlife conservation in this
region of such critical importance with the creation of a potential biosphere
reserve of international standard. Once established it will be the first of
its kind in Myanmar.

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