The Universiti Brunei Darussalam Botanical Research Centre (UBD BRC) today commemorated its 6th Anniversary, with a celebration held at the Senate Room, Chancellor Hall, Universiti Brunei Darussalam. As the first botanic garden in Brunei Darussalam, the UBD Botanical Research Centre was inaugurated on 3rd February 2018 by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam as the Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam. The UBD BRC functions as a research centre of UBD’s Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER) and is located within a 6-hectare tropical heath forest area at the UBD campus.
Present to deliver the opening remarks of Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism was Yang Mulia Puan Hajah Tutiaty binti Haji Abdul Wahab, Permanent Secretary, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism. Also in attendance was UBD Vice Chancellor, Yang Mulia Dr Hazri bin Haji Kifle. Honourable Ambassadors and High commissioners, Permanent Secretary and Deputy Permanent Secretaries, and senior officials were also present.
In his opening remarks, the Honourable Minister highlighted the Centre’s significant contributions in research, education and conservation of Brunei’s unique flora, helping Brunei Darussalam work towards the protection of its biodiversity. The Honourable Minister also highlighted that with the country’s richness and uniqueness in biodiversity resources, the Centre has potential to contribute economically through enhancing tourism industry development. In particular, the Honorable Minister encourage partnership between UBD BRC with local tour agencies in diversifying tourism packages that focus on ecotourism, which may include nature-based activities, regenerative tourism and educational or knowledge sharing.
In his welcoming remarks, Dr Hussein bin Haji Taha, Director of IBER, shared that the UBD BRC is currently home to over 500 plant species, and has continued to play a key role in UBD’s biodiversity research thrust. The Centre’s focus on scientific studies of Brunei’s plant diversity has led to the publication of books on Brunei’s flora and high-impact collaborative projects with top research and academic institutions such as the Botanic Garden Conservation International, SingHealth Duke-NUS Institute of Biodiversity Medicine (BD-MED), Nanyang Technological University, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Stanford University and University of the Sunshine Coast. He added that the Centre’s education activities are crucial in cultivating awareness on sustainable practices and the cultural and economic significance of plants.
Today’s event also included the launching of the “Walking through the UBD Botanical Research Centre” book, posters on medicinal plants in the UBD BRC, a video tour and new website for the UBD BRC. Also launched was the UBD BRC Audio Guided Tour app, a product developed in collaboration with Dynamik Technologies Sdn. Bhd. with support from the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism. The winners of the UBD BRC photo challenge were also on hand to exhibit their winning photos