Totally Protected Area (TPA)

Totally Protected Area (TPA) in Sarawak refers to forest lands so designated and established under the provisions of the National Parks Ordinance, 1998 and Wild Life Protection Ordinance, 1998. These forest lands are managed to generate sustainable benefits for the society. Their roles include:

• conservation and protection of wild life and their habitat;
• preservation of specific natural geological or physiographical features, landscape and site, of special interest for archaeological, recreational, educational or conservation purposes, on land and in areas beneath the territorial waters of the State;
• facilitating study and research on the biodiversity of the State;
• preservation and protection of the natural scenic beauty, and the historical sites and historical monuments on land and in the territorial waters of the State; and
• affording opportunities for public appreciation, enjoyment, interest and education of the natural scenic beauty, wild life habitat, flora and fauna, geological and physiographical features and landscape, historical sites and historical monuments of the State.

The designated TPA system covers about 1 million hectares of forests, or 8% of Sarawak's total area. Inhabitants of Sarawak are prohibited from hunting , fishing and taking any form of forest produce in the TPA.

These forest lands are classified as National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Wildlife Rehabilitation Centres, Nature Reserves and Marine Parks.

There are three categories of TPA's in Sarawak:

1. National Parks
2. Wildlife Sanctuaries
3. Nature Reserves

National parks are open to the public for recreation, but the wildlife sanctuaries have limited public access and are strictly for conservation and research. Nature reserves have the same functions as national parks except that they are smaller in size, being less than 1,000 ha.