Fancy having been named after an insect? More likely though, how about having an insect named after you? Well have to ask the insect, wont we? A futile attempt? The writer agrees. So well stick to the humans point of view.

The late entomologist, Dr Tho Yow Pong, had had two insects, a crab and a palm named after him. Why? Because of his immense contributions to nature conservation in Malaysia. Thos life was, however, cut short. He passed away in 1991 after an illness. On his last morning on earth, he was doing what he loved best — giving comments on conservation and the management plans for the Endau-Rompin National Park.

And in his honour, on March 26, the Malaysian Nature Society with the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (Frim) planted a commemorative plaque in front of a bamboo clump named after him. The bamboo clump is named Gigantochloa thoii.

Tho had much to do with the establishment of the Kuala Selangor National Park. He headed the group who drafted the management plan for sustainable development of Pulau Redang.

Tho was an outdoor person and he was a superb photographer. In 1974, he produced the first copy of the Malaya Naturalist , the MNSs nature and conservation magazine. He had a personal collection of more than 6,000 slides on nature.

Prodigious interest

His prodigious interest in natural history was evident way back in the 1960, when at the age of 15 he had read the entire collection of the Malayan Nature Journal , a scientific publication, in the Penang Library. His hobby, collecting butterflies, introduced him to the concept of species diversity. As a freshman in university, Thos entomological leanings were discovered by third-year agricultural students who exempted him from being ragged in exchange for his job of sorting out their insect collection.

During his days at Universiti Malaya, he was particularly inspired by the late Prof E Balasingam whom he had assisted during holidays working on a conservation project on the Giant Leathery Turtle — long nights on the beaches on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, helping to salvage turtle eggs from collectors to be transferred to a nursery, weighing hatchlings and studying the nesting behaviour of adult female turtles.

Those nights, perhaps, taught him that conservation entailed more than merely writing academic papers. As an entomologist Tho built up the reference collection of insects at Frim to an astounding holding of more than 200,000 specimens.

As a scientist he was convinced that the natural forest, in particular production forest, can only be sustained if managed by multiple objectives, including biodiversity conservation and protection.

Well-versed in the topic of biodiversity, he emphasised that not enough attention has been paid to areas of low diversity which are naturally constrained by low nutrient levels. Such areas are home to many highly adapted species of restricted distribution and warrants high priority as well.

Tho was reputedly exceptionally observant. His field experience was not in the least restricted to insects, and he collected many different things and was able to advise on many different topics. He contributed his astute observation even on plants.

In 1986, while holidaying in the Cameron Highlands, he collected a bamboo specimen which struck him as unusual. This was subsequently identified as Chimonobambusa quadrangularis , an exotic species which had been planted there but nevertheless not previously known to exist in Malaysia.

As a scientist of critical thought Tho was the first non-Japanese Asian to receive the Scientific Achievement Award of the International Union of Forestry Research Organisations in 1986. He was also in the Ad-Hoc Working Group of Experts on Biological Diversity, of the United Nations Environmental Programme in 1990. He was the Honorary Curator of the entomological collection of the Muzium Negara from 1977 until his demise in 1991.

Environmental fund for Children

The Environmental Fund for Children in memory of Tho was launched in 1993 with a RM20,000 contribution. Today it stands at RM178, 000. The fund was established to reflect Thos belief in experiential learning for children. It was intended to make it possible for children without financial means to take part in nature-related activities such as field courses, outward-bound courses, and Operation Raleigh. It was meant to create a better awareness and instill in them nature appreciation.

The fund is available to students who are 20 years old and below who are MNS members or belong to school nature clubs, to carry out nature-related projects.

The initial target of the fund was RM500,000 with the ultimate target of RM1 million. Only the interest earned by the fund was to be used in disbursing the grants. The fund is managed by a board of trustees comprising members of MNS, the public and Thos family.

The sum collected so far is still a long way from the initial target. MNS is appealing for help to raise money for the fund in memory of the great conservationist Dr Tho Yow Pong.