KUCHING: Sixty different Shorea tree species are among the 5,000 trees that were planted by Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) at the Sabal Forest Reserve in conjunction with the International Day of Forests.
In its statement, FDS said the remarkable achievement is also an official attempt to set a new record for ‘Most Variety of Shorea Tree Species Planted in an Event’ in the Malaysia Book of Records.
“The event was officiated by the Director of Forests, Datuk Hamden Mohammad, and saw an overwhelming participation of more than 500 participants, including representatives from FDS, Sarawak Energy Bhd (SEB), Japan-Malaysia Association (JMA) and the local communities.
“This initiative is also aligned with the Greening Sarawak Campaign and the national ‘Penghijauan Malaysia’ agenda, where Sarawak continues to lead all states with an impressive 46.3 million trees planted to date,” FDS said.
FDS added that the Shorea refers to different species of trees within the genus Shorea, which is a group of tropical trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae.
“Shorea species is the largest genus in Dipterocarp family and are vital to ecology and culture as well as economically important in Sarawak and Malaysia in general.
“The initiative is a testament to Sarawak’s commitment to forest conservation and biodiversity enhancement.
“The planting of various Shorea species not only contributes to the ecological sustainability but also highlights FDS dedication to maintaining Sarawak’s rich forest heritage and one of the conservation action for this valuable species,” FDS stated.
For the record, the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 proclaimed March 21 every year as the International Day of Forests to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests.
Countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organise activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.
The programme was also attended by the two FDS deputy directors, Happysupina Sait and Semilan Ripot.
