Our Mission

KOPEL’s mission is creating an alternative and ecologically sustainable economy by conserving biodiversity and rainforest ecosystems in parallel with generating sustainable long-term income for the local people of our area. Our core business is Eco-Tourism. Our core product is the Conservation of Forest Ecosystems and Biodiversity of the Lower Kinabatangan.

As a certified Social Enterprise KOPEL’s key responsibility is its members, and first and foremost this means creating and sustaining employment and contributing in meaningful ways to local livelihoods. Alongside KOPEL’s numerous conservation activities, KOPEL has a parallel social agenda, with numerous community and member focused benefits from micro-finance through to awards, donations, and training opportunities.

Our Conservation Work

KOPEL and the community of Batu Puteh Kinabatangan have worked since 1998 to conserve and restore their surrounding rainforest habitats and ecosystems. Forest habitat restoration, including tree planting, is one of the core conservation activities being initiated as early as 1999 (now more than 20 years ago). Over the years, KOPEL has planted more than 400,000 trees with the help and support of volunteers, and many contributing organisations.

KOPEL’s conservation activities have expanded over the years, to include lake restoration, cave restoration, wildlife monitoring, water quality monitoring, and environmental education. KOPEL runs these and many smaller initiatives every year. Your stay with us supports the foundation for this conservation work, and we invite everyone to join us in our efforts to preserve and restore our region’s ecosystems, habitats, and incredible biodiversity.