SIMUNJAN: The Internal Audit Unit of the Department of the Premier of Sarawak planted 550 indigenous tree seedlings at the Sabal Forest Reserve here today (July 26) through a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative.
The programme was organised in collaboration with the Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) and the Internal Audit Staff Welfare Club.
It brought together 80 officers and staff from the Internal Audit Unit, FDS personnel and members of the local community.
The tree-planting exercise formed part of the Forest Department Sarawak’s Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) programme, which focuses on rehabilitating degraded forest areas by planting indigenous tree species while fostering partnerships with government agencies, corporate organisations and local communities.
Representing FDS, Rohanie Bohan welcomed the initiative, describing it as a meaningful contribution towards conserving and sustainably managing the state’s forest resources.
“We sincerely appreciate the Internal Audit Unit of the Department of the Premier of Sarawak for choosing forest restoration as its CSR initiative, thereby contributing towards the conservation and sustainable management of Sarawak’s forest resources,” she said.
A total of 100 Resak Abang Johari (Vatica abang joharii) saplings were planted during the programme. The indigenous dipterocarp species was named in honour of the Premier of Sarawak and is among the state’s notable botanical discoveries.
The remaining seedlings comprised other indigenous high value timber species, namely Meranti Pitis (Shorea ovata), Meranti Putih (Shorea cordata) and Meranti Tembaga (Shorea leprosula), all selected to support the restoration of degraded forest areas within the reserve.
According to a statement, the initiative also supports the state’s broader Greening Sarawak campaign by encouraging greater participation from government agencies, organisations and local communities in long term forest conservation efforts.
