The Minister of Tourism and Environmental Development YB Tan Sri Bernard Dompok launched this project during the official opening of the Sukau Rainforest Lodge in 1996. Twenty tourism students from Stamford College participated in the weed clearing project at the Kelenanap Oxbow Lake in Sukau village for four days. The 300 acres Kelenanap oxbow lake was the traditional fishing ground of the Orang Sungai people and well as the feeding ground for fresh water otters and Oriental darters while the surrounding forest is the natural habitat of local wildlife including proboscis monkeys, orangutans, elephants, deers among others. The lake has been completely carpeted by weeds called “Salvinia molesta” thus depriving the local people of fishing.

A total of five groups of volunteers participated in this project. These include Stamford College, Likas Baptist Church, Sabah Foundation Sports Club and nine girls students from Royal School and twelve girls from Tudor Hall, the last two groups being from England.

Borneo Eco Tours and Sukau Rainforest Lodge set aside a total of 1,000 complimentary rooms’ nights, and contributed free T-shirts, certificate, transportation and logistics to organise this project. A total of 120 rooms were used for this project. While the project did not manage to control the spread of the weeds in the lake, it has managed to raise awareness both at the local and international level of the negative impact of environmental problems related to weeds.