Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) launched the “Ferntastic Brunei” book on 26th September 2023 at the Simpur Cafe, UBD.
The book and poster on unique ferns of Brunei Darussalam, which is a collaborative project between UBD and local Non-Government Organization (NGO) Biodiversity and Natural History Society (BruWILD) was launched by UBD Vice Chancellor Dr Hazri Haji Kifle. In attendance at the book launch was the Director of Forestry Department at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism (MPRT) Noralinda Haji Ibrahim, members from BruWild and other senior officials from UBD.
Ferns are non-flowering plants and are typically identifiable through the sori (reproductive units) found underneath the leaves. As with many plants, humans rely on ferns for many uses such as food and medicine. As ferns bear no flowers and their features do not have any striking colorations, they often go unnoticed by passersby. Fern diversity however is stunning as ferns can be found in all the forest types in Brunei Darussalam, with many varieties of species growing in different habitats. Brunei Darussalam currently records 300 fern species belonging to 37 families in 116 genera where this alone constitutes an estimated 23% of fern diversity in Borneo.
The “Ferntastic Brunei” book is intended to foster greater appreciation and understanding of local ferns and their importance in people’s livelihoods. It is hoped that such initiatives will contribute towards the conservation of these unique plants in line with the targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).
The launch of “Ferntastic Brunei” is complimented with a series of activities jointly organised by the Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER), UBD and the Biodiversity and Natural History Society (BruWILD), which includes a seminar on ferns and fern-inspired activities at the UBD Botanical Research Centre (BRC) garden.