From Tin Mining to Green Tourism—Sungai Lembing's Inspiring Ecological Transformation

Haoxuan Yu, Ginura Gunaratna, Izni Zahidi and Chow Ming Fai

Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 2025, vol. 32, issue 6, 8625-8641

Abstract: Sungai Lembing, once a prominent tin mining town in Malaysia, faced severe environmental degradation and economic decline by the late 20th century due to unsustainable mining practices. This study explores Sungai Lembing's transformation from a mining hub to a model of ecological restoration and sustainable development through a governance‐led approach that emerged after corporate exit. Following the 1980s tin price collapse, collaborative efforts among local authorities, NGOs, and community groups initiated large‐scale environmental remediation projects addressing ecosystem degradation. This case study employs a sequential mixed‐methods design, combining institutional role mapping with Fractional Vegetation Cover (FVC) analysis, utilizing NASA Landsat satellite imagery, to monitor vegetation changes from 1988 to 2023. The spatial correspondence between institutional interventions and vegetation recovery demonstrates that ecological restoration is fundamentally a governance achievement. Results reveal multi‐stakeholder governance arrangements involving strategic government planning, municipal implementation, NGO facilitation, and grassroots transformation that enabled significant vegetation increases, especially post‐2010, as the town transitioned to ecotourism. Community participation in reforestation and tourism development enhanced restoration sustainability while boosting the local economy. Comparative analysis with international mine closure frameworks reveals that although Sungai Lembing's outcomes align with global best practices, the pathways diverge significantly from standardized corporate‐led approaches, suggesting the need for “principled flexibility” in post‐mining governance. The study recommends developing context‐sensitive governance frameworks that accommodate both corporate accountability and community‐driven innovation. Sungai Lembing demonstrates the potential for post‐industrial regions to achieve ecological recovery and economic revitalization through collaborative governance, offering valuable insights for sustainable development in abandoned mining areas worldwide.

Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:corsem:v:32:y:2025:i:6:p:8625-8641

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