2,605 hectares of coastal land planted with 6.3 million trees

PEKAN: Some 2,605 hectares of coastal land have been planted with 6.3 million mangrove trees since 2005, said Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

He said the Federal Government had allocated about RM46 million for the programme to plant mangrove trees and other suitable species along the national coastlines which had been implemented between 2005 and 2015, under the Ninth and 10th Malaysia Plans.

“This provision covers the cultivation, treatment, maintenance, research and development, monitoring and evaluation of mangrove areas as well as awareness campaigns,” he said at a coastal restoration programme with Pekan district community in Kuala Pahang here yesterday.

His speech text was read out by Natural Resources and Environment Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Azizan Ahmad.

Also present were Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department director-general Datuk Nor Akhirrudin Mahmud and Pahang Forestry director Datuk Dr Mohd Hizamri Mohd Yasin.

He added that the mangrove cultivation programme was implemented in the coastal areas of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.

Meanwhile at the coastal restoration programme with Pekan district community yesterday, 500 pine and terminalia catappa (ketapang) trees were distributed to be planted along a 184.31 stretch from Cherating to Rompin.

The trees resistant to sea wind and suitable for coastal areas act as natural shelter and protection for the coastal population as they could prevent soil erosion.