SBC Biodiversity Day 2023

Sarawak Biodiversity Center (SBC) celebrates Biodiversity Day every year with a public open house that invites public to come and enjoy the fun moments via various activities that allow public to learn more about biodiversity of Sarawak. This year the SBC celebrates its biodiversity day in conjunction with the international day for biological diversity. The theme this year is “From Agreement to Action : Build Back Biodiversity”.

Organizer : Sarawak Biodiversity Center

Address : Sarawak Biodiversity Center, KM20, Jalan Borneo Heights, Semengoh, 93250 Kuching.

Latitude : 1.3925

Longitude : 110.323056

Open map with : [Waze] [Google Map] [Bing Map] [HERE Map]

Date : 27/05/2023

Time : 8.00am – 5.00pm

Parking space for public : Car park space in Sarawak Forestry Department and in front of Rajah Charles Brooke Memorial Hospital. A shuttle car will bring visitor to and from the Sarawak Biodiversity Center.

The whole event is located at a wide open space in the center of the Sarawak biodiversity center. There is various fun and educational booth located around the open space.

Given the uniqueness and potential commercial value of Sekiu oil, the Sarawak Biodiversity Center currently had established a benefit sharing agreement with Kampung Jemoreng Hulu and Hilir, Matu and Kampung Penibong Daro on Biodiversity Day at SBC, which is in line with the theme of international Day for Biological Diversity 2023.

R&D Fun and Educational Activities Booths

There is many different booth that is group under Research and Development Fun and Educational Activities.

The focus of the booths is to educate public and younger generations about various fun facts about plants around us. Visitors can involve in quiz and game activity and win some fabulous gift and merchandise.

Let Nature Grow : Plant Cell: Test your Knowledge!, Plant the Seeds For Tomorrow, Plant Transportation System

A very interesting section where visitors can hand make seed bombs. Seed bombs are actually a recycled paper that are finely crushed, then mix with various coloring and place seeds within. The seed bomb can be watered and all the seeds will grow from within, breaking out from the paper shell.

Building Blocks of Biodiversity : Molecule Maker, Meet the Elements!

Tiny Friends Around Us : A Closer Look at Mushroom, Microbial Mindbender, Microbiology Escape Room

DNA: Data Storage for Living Things : Let’s Isolate DNA, Genetic Detective, Build a Protein

A Scented Journey – Where Each Scent Tells a Story : Essential Oil Density , Calm-Down Vials, Exploring the Scents

Visitors can make Calm-Down Vials or commonly known as sensory bottles where oil and water is mixed together and create an interesting water-oil levels in a bottle. When it is mixed with different coloring and glitters, it appears as a amazing vial of art.

Scents from plants can be extracted for various perfumes and even to be used as insect repellent. Visitors can smell test the scent on display and understand different smell from nature.

Algae: Our Sustainable Hope : Algae in the Ecosystem , Enchanting World of Algae , Algae Lights Up

Microalgae is a very hot topic of discussion in recent era as microalgae fast growing ability and the ability to take in lots ammount of carbon dioxide from the air. With ability to grow large amount of microalgae allow the circular economy of carbon where microalgae takes carbon dioxide to grow with natural sun light and then being extracted as biomass to form oil fuel that can be used by vehicles and air transport. The carbon dioxide cycle will be well contained in a circular economy.

Algae industry is a very big industry as there is various different type of algae around earth that each species have different properties including production of biomass, oil, proteins, and medications. Owed to its fast growing rate, it can be use to mass production and growing.

Traditional Knowledge Fun and Educational Activities Booths

Exploring Biodiversity and Conservation : Wild Wonders: A Showcase of Interesting Plants and Fascinating Animal Creatures, Nature’s Enigma: Can you Guess the Flora and Fauna?

Various plants and fascinating creatures being showcase at the event including reptiles, snakes, frogs, butterfly and other insects.

There even a specimen of Rajah Brooke’s birdwing butterfly (Trogonoptera Brookiana) on display. It gets its name in honour of the White Rajah of Sarawak, Sir James Brooke.

Visitors may stay educated with various posters around the booths which includes information of rare and new species been discover in the Borneon Rainforest. It is a eye opening moment to understand the biodiversity of Sarawak Rainforest.

The Beauty of Nature : Chromatic Symphony: A Celebration of Colours in Nature

Colours in nature is a interesting section where visitors can understand how to extract colours from plants and seeds. The color can then be used for various activity and project from using as dye or food coloring.

Dragon Blood is a natural red colorant from rattan species which belongs to the family Daemonorops where it contains dracorhodin. It is a dye that used for coloring of mats and baskets by the locals.

Anthocyanin is a natural blue colorant from butterfly pea. Delphinidin is the main anthocyanin responsible for deep blue to purple color of the flower.

Turmeric is a natural yellow colorant from curcuma longa. Curcumin is a constituent of Turmeric, the dried powdered rhizome of Curcuma Longa. It is commonly use as colouring agent in food.

Chlorophyll is a natural green color food colorant which is best sourced from pandanus amaryllifolius with pandan flavour.

Visitor can involve in plant imprint coloring with various plant stems and leaves. It is a fun activities for kids and family.

Other activities includes Exhibition by various agencies and communities including LitSara® and NatureSara® Gift shop, Range of Natural products from Borneo Rainforest and Guided Tour at SBC Laila Taib Ethnobotanical Garden.

The botany garden is just beside the pick up and drop off area beside the research lab. The tour guide will guide visitor around explaining various plants on display. Some plants are use for food, some are medicine and some are for making of essential oils.

Guided trekking through SBC Nature Trails

Time : 2.30pm – 3.30pm

Guided trekking through SBC Nature Trails is an interesting experience. The 400 meters Nature Trails beside the Sarawak Biodiversity Center is filled with various trees and herbs. Walking through the nature trails feels like walking into a natural rain forest with amazing tall trees surrounding us.

The guide introduce us to different plants along the trekking trail. Some of the plants can be used as food, while others as medicine. There are plants that local say brings good luck while some plants are to be avoided due to its poisons.

Overall the SBC Biodiversity Day is an interesting and educative event to join if you have the chance. If you had missed the day to visit the center, you still come the next year and join the SBC Biodiversity Day next year as it is a yearly event.

See you next year !