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Trees stand in floodwater in Ratargul freshwater swamp forest, Bangladesh.
Freshwater swamp forest at Ratargul, Sylhet, Bangladesh; an illustration of this habitat type.Hasib · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped · Original
Freshwater swamp · Central Kalimantan

Freshwater swamp forest

A freshwater-influenced forest habitat documented within Tanjung Puting’s protected-area mosaic.

Characteristics

Freshwater swamp forest is not automatically synonymous with peat-swamp forest. UNESCO lists both in Tanjung Puting; keeping them as separate habitat records preserves the distinction between water setting and peat substrate.

Sources & references · 1UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme · Tanjung Puting Biosphere Reserve

Distribution

UNESCO documents freshwater swamp forest in Tanjung Puting, Kalimantan. Brunei’s biodiversity report identifies freshwater and peat swamps at Tasek Merimbun. These localities demonstrate a wetland mosaic rather than one uniform forest type.

Sources & references · 2UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme · Tanjung Puting Biosphere ReserveGovernment of Brunei Darussalam / Forestry Department · Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity: Brunei Darussalam

Ecological importance

Freshwater swamp forest is part of Tanjung Puting’s wetland mosaic. Its water regime and forest cover complement neighbouring peat, river and dry-ground habitats; those distinctions help explain why the whole landscape needs protection.

Sources & references · 1UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme · Tanjung Puting Biosphere Reserve

Threats

UNESCO identifies illegal logging, fire, cultivation, mining and poaching among pressures on Tanjung Puting’s landscape. These pressures affect connected habitats; the listing is not a current condition survey of every forest patch.

Sources & references · 1UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme · Tanjung Puting Biosphere Reserve

Species found here

Examples in the linked species profiles include Kalakai climbing fern. Their profiles identify the particular locality and evidence. A habitat association does not mean the species occurs in every patch of that habitat.

Sources & references · 4Royal Botanic Gardens Kew POWO · Stenochlaena palustrisSingapore National Parks Board · Stenochlaena palustrisJournal of Science and Science Education Universitas Lambung Mangkurat · Stenochlaena palustris in bekantan ecotourism areaBiodiversitas scientific journal 2022 · Diversity of Stenochlaena in Central Kalimantan

Protected areas

Documented landscapes to explore include Tanjung Puting National Park, Danau Sentarum National Park, Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park. These areas contain habitat mosaics; the habitat does not cover their entire surface. Check each area’s access information before a visit.

Sources & references · 2UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme · Tanjung Puting Biosphere ReserveGovernment of Brunei Darussalam / Forestry Department · Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity: Brunei Darussalam
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Related discoveries

Activities

The Kinabatangan River at Kampung Sukau.
Activities

Wildlife watching on the Kinabatangan River

Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

A small boat moving along the forest edge is the defining Kinabatangan experience. From the water, you can scan riverside trees for proboscis monkeys, watch birds crossing between banks and see how the river connects patches of lowland and swamp forest. Most visitors stay at a river lodge and take several outings rather than attempting one long excursion from Sandakan. Dawn and late afternoon bring different light, sounds and animal activity, while time between cruises lets you rest or join an available nature walk. This is an appealing choice for wildlife travellers and photographers who prefer boat-based observation to continuous jungle trekking. Its particular strength is the repeated opportunity to watch the same river landscape over several days, with a guide interpreting what is happening around you. The river is a habitat, not a scheduled animal show.

Connected with this habitat
CEphoto, Uwe Aranas · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cropped · Original

Destinations

Nature areas

Dry-season wetland landscape at Danau Sentarum.
Nature areas

Danau Sentarum National Park

West Kalimantan

Danau Sentarum is a national park and Ramsar wetland in the upper Kapuas basin of West Kalimantan. Lakes, connecting channels and seasonally flooded forest form a changing landscape rather than one permanent sheet of water. Its distinctive experience is seeing how rainfall and river levels reshape the boundary between land and water. Communities use this wetland as a living landscape, so boats and local knowledge are central to understanding it. Visits are possible, but a current boat route and overnight base need confirmation. Plan through the Kapuas Hulu region and Putussibau, then agree on the actual lakeside departure point; the city and the wetland are not interchangeable locations.

Related
Rendika Wijayanto · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped · Original
Sekonyer River in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan.
Nature areas

Tanjung Puting National Park

Central Kalimantan

Tanjung Puting is a national park in western Central Kalimantan, where rivers lead into a mosaic of lowland, swamp, heath and coastal forest. Orangutan conservation is its best-known story, but the landscape also supports proboscis monkeys and distinctive wetland vegetation. Visitors normally plan through Pangkalan Bun and Kumai, then travel by boat along an agreed route. The park is larger than its familiar visitor corridor: a booking for particular sites does not open every research or rehabilitation facility. Choose the visit length, boat and overnight arrangement together, and confirm park reservations before departure. This is a guided river-and-forest experience, not a guarantee of close wildlife encounters.

Connected with this habitat
Nanosanchez · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped · Original
Lake and pavilion at Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park, Brunei (2009).
Nature areas

Tasek Merimbun Heritage Park

Tutong

Tasek Merimbun is a blackwater lake and surrounding wetland forest in Brunei’s Tutong district. The lake, forest margins and Dusun heritage make it a different nature experience from a summit climb or an offshore excursion. Its ASEAN Heritage Park recognition concerns conservation and cultural value, not UNESCO World Heritage status. For visitors, the useful focus is the accessible lakeside and interpretation area, with walks or other activities depending on what is operating when you arrive. Do not assume that every path, boat service or facility described in an older park account is available today. Plan the road journey and return together, then confirm the sections open to visitors. A quiet lakeside visit can make sense even without a boat trip; wildlife records describe the broader habitat and are not a checklist of animals you should expect to see beside the boardwalk.

Located in
Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand · Wikimedia Commons · CC0 · Cropped · Original

Species

Sources & references

UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme · Tanjung Puting Biosphere ReserveAccessed: 2026-10-01

Singapore National Parks Board · Stenochlaena palustrisAccessed: 2026-10-01

Biodiversitas scientific journal 2022 · Diversity of Stenochlaena in Central KalimantanAccessed: 2026-10-01

Journal of Science and Science Education Universitas Lambung Mangkurat · Stenochlaena palustris in bekantan ecotourism areaAccessed: 2026-10-01

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew POWO · Stenochlaena palustrisAccessed: 2026-10-01

Government of Brunei Darussalam / Forestry Department · Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity: Brunei DarussalamAccessed: 2026-10-02

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