Portfolio: Pulau Tioman

Pulau Tioman is an island located in the state of Pahang on the east cost of peninsular Malaysia. Our environmental services were commissioned to complete an initial investigation of potential impacts as a result from the recent tourism growth on the island.

Tioman’s environment is naturally biodiverse and made up of an extensive list of species ranging from whale sharks, reticulated pythons, endangered hawksbill turtles to many endemic species, such as the Tioman Round-eyed Gecko. Our transportation planning recommendations were to limit road development to the outer fringes of the island, which influenced the more resilient edge species (long tailed macaque and monitor lizard) as opposed to more sensitive animals (binturong and mouse deer).

Tioman also has 5 vegetation types that were analyzed and ultimately influenced community planning efforts. These types include 1) coastal and beach vegetation 2) mangrove forests 3) alluvial plains 4) lowland mixed dipterocarp forest (secondary rainforest, less than 300m) and hill dipterocarp forest (primary rainforest, more than 300m). Tioman has a goal shift towards self sufficiency in the future, so the agriculturally productive alluvial plans were mapped and overlaid onto current and future development master plans to highlight where conflicts occur.

Project Specs:

Size: 12,383 hectares

Client: Tioman Development Authority