Self-trained naturalist in Borneo, passionate about environmental conservation in Sabah, planting trees for wildlife in Lower Kinabatangan
Mark Louis Benedict
I am a Bornean naturalist passionate about environmental conservation in my homestate of Sabah, Malaysia. My background is in the tourism industry where I used to be a Tourist Guide leading eco-tourists to various nature hotspots in Sabah. This was when I had the opportunity to explore most parts of Sabah, from the mountain to the rainforest and to the sea. This was when I personally saw how amazing biodiversity is in Sabah and why we need to continuously conserve its various ecosystems. I was privileged to be awarded the Best Tourist Guide (Nature Guide category) in year 2005 by Tourism Malaysia.
Currently I am the Project Manager of APE Malaysia, an environmental social enterprise that runs animal & environmental-based projects. My roles encompass leading volunteers and students on our reforestation project in the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, where we aim to restore important and critical wildlife corridors for the wildlife while supporting local community livelihood through ‘voluntourism’.
As part of the overarching goal to restore wildlife connectivity in the Lower Kinabatangan, I also lead a team of local communities from the village as part of the CREATE project (Corridor Restoration of Animals Threatened and Endangered). This project is funded by Kansas City Zoo and other members of the American Zoo Association (AZA). Besides planting and maintaining trees, we also do camera trapping work and assist in installing nest boxes for hornbills.
My other passion besides tree planting includes bird watching, wildlife photography, and public speaking. I had the opportunity to present my work recently as a TEDx speaker at UCSI University!
My motto in life is ‘to be the change you want to see in this world’, and I believe that all of us can make a positive difference in this world!
