600 engkabang seedlings planted at national park

KUCHING: A total of 600 engkabang jantong (Shorea macrophylla) seedlings were planted at Gunung Apeng National Park during a Forest Landscape Restoration programme co-hosted by the Japan-Malaysia Association (JMA), Forest Department, and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) yesterday.

The programme was supported by Kinoshita Group, a major conglomerate from Japan, which was represented by Manami Shizawa, Saki Kanaya, Chihomi Sugimoto, and Yoshie Mizuno.

Among the Japanese volunteers were also a Hosei University student and another from Waseda University.

Several teachers and students from nearby schools – SK Krait, SK St Norbert, SK Triang and SMK Balai Ringin – also participated in the tree planting programme along with SK Balai Ringin teachers.

Shizawa, who is Kinoshita Group public relations officer, said they are very pleased with the progress of the programme.

“We are handling a lot of trees as a company, so it is really important to plant trees.

“In Tokyo there is not a lot of nature like here. This is why we are here for tree planting as an experience and an opportunity to learn as well as to meet the locals,” she said.

JMA started its reforestation programme at Gunung Apeng in 2007 to restore the degraded forest ecosystem with the support of Kinoshita Group, under supervision of the Forest Department and Unimas researchers.

Since then, about 60,000 tree seedlings in 300ha of degraded land area have been planted with local indigenous species.

Gazetted as a national park in 2016, Gunung Apeng in Serian is a second growth forest after being logged about 40 years ago.

Among the uniqueness of this national park is that most of its forest areas were regenerated through reforestation activities by volunteers.

Besides Gunung Apeng, JMA also conducts tree planting activities at Balai Ringin Forest Reserve, Sabal National Park, Sampadi Forest Reserve, Kuching Wetlands National Park, and Bakam Forest Reserve in Miri.

JMA also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sarawak government on Forest Landscape Restoration in June.

Students and teachers are briefed on how to plant the seedlings.

Group photo of all participants at the planting site.

Kanaya (left) plants a tree with the locals.

Shizawa (left) is seen with SK Balai Ringin teacher Alice Chiang.

Forest Department (Licence For Planted Forest Division) assistant director Azahari Omar receives a memento from JMA executive advisor Professor Emeritus Akira Morishima (right).