IT was a sweltering day but that never deterred more than 130 volunteers — young and old — from turning up at the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR) in Selangor recently to plant 600 trees to restore the peat swamp forest and make a difference for future generations. The event was held in conjunction with the International Day for Biological Diversity, which is celebrated annually on May 22.
Planting trees in the peatlands is important to preserve their biodiversity. Peatlands are an important ecosystem that support a unique and diverse range of plants and wildlife. They also play a critical role in curbing climate change by acting as a carbon sink.
Planting trees can help restore degraded peatlands that are under threat. In KLNFR, efforts have been underway since 2015 to restore the fragile peat forest through rewetting (hydrology management), revegetation (replanting trees) and reduction of fires (community-based fire patrolling), all conducted in collaboration with Sahabat Gambut Asli Temuan (SGAT), Global Environment Centre (GEC) and the Selangor State Forestry Department (SSFD).
This includes the long-running Monthly Tree Planting programme jointly conducted by GEC, SSFD, Friends of North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest and SGAT, which also supports the Greening Malaysia Programme through the National 100 Million Tree Planting Campaign. This revegetation initiative has been successful in raising awareness on peatland restoration through public engagement.
SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMME
BOH Plantations (BOH) has been involved in GEC's Peatland Water Management and Forest Rehabilitation Work in KLNFR since 2015. Now, as an expression of its long-term programme themed "BOH, a cup of sustainabili-tea", the company has also sponsored a tree planting exercise, along with the ongoing care and maintenance of these trees.
Expression thoughtful, Jason Foo, chief executive officer of BOH Plantations Sdn Bhd, began: "As a company that owes much of our success and legacy to the environment, sustainability is non-negotiable when it comes to realising our goal to be a fully sustainable tea grower in the near future."
Continuing, he added: "We prioritise a balanced ecosystem for surrounding forest lands at all our plantations. At BOH's Bukit Cheeding plantation, which is uniquely adjacent to KLNFR, we maintain a buffer zone between our plantation and the forest reserve to preserve the biodiversity and soil integrity."
This tree-planting exercise, he went on to add, is part of the company's long-term sustainability programme.
"We're pleased to play a role in raising awareness on the restoration and sustainability of our peat forests," said Foo.
Commenting on the restoration of KLNFR, Faizal Parish, director of the GEC, chipped in: "Over the last few years, collaborative multi-stakeholder efforts to restore our peat forests have resulted in positive developments. With the strong support of SSFD, active involvement of SGAT, supportive private-public partnerships, as well as enhanced public engagement, we've been able to establish a sustainable management approach in conserving peatland value, preserving our rich biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem services, as well as controlling climate change."
The theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity 2023 — From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity — is a timely reminder for us to do our part to restore and sustain our peatlands, which is an effort to contribute to a better planet.
To participate in future tree-planting initiatives with GEC, visit to www.gec.org.my