Forestry Department on mission to plant a million trees
KUALA LUMPUR: The Forestry Department is on a mission to plant a million trees in forest areas that have been damaged by natural disasters.
The project, under the fiveyear 11th Malaysia Plan will be jointly carried out with five nongovernmental organisations.
Its director-general Datuk Nor Akhirrudin Mahmud said the project would involve the restoration and maintenance of 1,640ha of degraded forest inside and outside permanent forest reserves in Peninsular Malaysia.
“We started this project last year by carrying out replanting exercises at several areas in Cameron Highlands,” Akhirrudin said after meeting representatives of the five NGOs yesterday at the department’s main office here.
“This year, we are going to focus on Cameron Highlands, Janda Baik and the Sungai Kelantan area, which are the areas in need of most attention.”
During the meeting, the department gave RM250,000 to the NGOs who will help to carry out the restoration work in Cameron Highlands and Janda Baik.
Akhirrudin said the allocation would be added to from time to time for the NGO to carry out their work.
“The project will help with the government’s efforts to preserve and conserve degraded forest in Cameron Highland and Janda Baik,” he said.