80 take part in planting of mangrove seedlings
KUCHING: Initiatives to conserve gazetted areas in the state, such as mangrove forests, are taking precedence in the heart of the community through activities such as the planting of mangrove seedlings.
About 80 staff from the Public Services Commission of Malaysia ( SPA) Sarawak and SPA Sabah, in collaboration with the state Forest Department yesterday participated in the planting of mangrove seedlings at Kuching Wetlands National Park Ramsar Site near here.
Forest deputy director Hamden Mohammad expressed his delight to receive participation from government agency staff willing to participate in the environmental activity.
This, he said, showed that the local community has the spirit to conserve the environment and ecosystem of the state.
“We started this initiative eight years ago and what we are doing today ( yesterday) is the
We started this initiative eight years ago and what we are doing today (yesterday) is the continuation of the programmes to conserve degraded areas such as this Ramsar site. Hamden Mohammad, Forest deputy director
continuation of the programmes to conserve degraded areas such as this Ramsar site.
“Therefore, we hope that when this area is replanted, it will eventually become a forest in the future. We also believe this area can become a breeding ground for wildlife which have disappeared due to development carried out by the state government,” he told reporters at the ‘ Program Konservasi Tanah Lembab’ at Kuching Wetlands National Park here yesterday.
Apart from the planting of mangrove seedlings, the Forest Department had also organised many public awareness programmes including those which involved the public.
“Community awareness is crucial especially when it comes to preserving our environment, not only in Sarawak but throughout Malaysia,” he said.
Around 150 mangrove seedlings were planted during the programme. Since 2009, a total of 66,250 mangrove seedlings have been planted at Ramsar site and during this period, 54 environmental awareness campaigns have been held.
SPA Sarawak deputy chairman Datu Romie Danial Sigan and his Sabah counterpart Datuk Claudius Roman were present at the function.