Tree planting to restore forest stand at Garinono Forest Reserve
SANDAKAN: The Forestry Department and Sandakan Polytechnic jointly organised the Environmental Conservation Programme at Garinono Forest Reserve, yesterday.
The programme was aimed to restore the composition of forest stand within the Garinono Forest Reserve, while raising public awareness on the importance of creating a greener, cleaner and fresher environment.
About 400 tree seedlings were planted during the programme within an area of about 1.5 hectares, including tree species named Drybalanops beccarii (pokok kapur merah).
The planting activity was officiated by Datuk Sam Mannan, Chief Conservator of Forests of the Forestry Department.
Final year students under the Diploma of Agriculture Programme from Polytechnic Sandakan conducted the tree planting activity, witnessed by Lt. Kol. Bersekutu (PA) Tajul Ariffin Bin Mohamed Arif, the director of Polytechnic Sandakan and Rusli Rahman, the deputy director.
Through this programme, a total of forty-two students were trained theoretically and practically on the most suitable tree planting techniques to be implemented in the field.
The department is of the opinion that implementing such environmental conservation programmes should be expanded to areas outside of forest reserves.
The programme is part of the collaborative agreement with Polytechnic Sandakan entered by the department on October 2017, aiming to allow the sharing of expertise and the conduct of training between both parties.
Sandakan district forestry officer Hj Fadzil Yahya, who is in charge of managing and administrating Garinono Forest Reserve and Bernard Valentine, principal of Sabah Forestry Institute as the officer in charge in coordinating and facilitating the implementation of this whole programme, were also present during the event.