500 high-value saplings planted in Bakam forest reserve
MIRI: Forest Department of Sarawak (FDS) and Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) planted 500 saplings of high-value indigenous timber species at Bakam Forest Reserve in their first collaboration this year.
FDS in a statement yesterday said the 500 saplings of meranti, mersawa and nyatoh species were planted in the forest reserve on Tuesday with participation of 70 personnel from both agencies.
The planting programme is in line with SEB’s corporatelevel ‘10-Year Integrated Planting, Protection and Habitat Conservation Campaign (20212030)’ in supporting Greening Sarawak Campaign led by FDS.
This has contributed to the cumulative number of trees planted in Sarawak under ‘Greening Malaysia Agenda Through 100 million Tree Planting Campaign (2021-2025)’, which now has surpassed cumulative total of 83 million trees at national level.
Bakam Forest Reserve is one of recently gazetted Permanent Forest Estates (PFEs), bringing the total number of PFEs in the state to 117.
In addition to their role as production forests, PFEs also preserve biodiversity and serve as source of non-timber forest products, water catchment areas, and providing recreational activities to support conservation efforts in the state.
“As a forefront of Greening Sarawak Campaign, FDS is delighted to bring many participants from the various agencies, industry, NGOs and the local community together to preserve the environment,” said the department.
Among those attending the tree-planting exercise were FDS assistant director Zarina Shebli, Miri regional forest officer Asan Odau and SEB senior vice president for Corporate Services Siti Aisah Adenan.