KK Court group intensifies tree planting effort
KOTA KINABALU: The Kota Kinabalu Court Working Group on Environment is continuing their reforestation campaign with more trees to be planted in Lahad Datu.
The group is hoping to have new tree saplings planted in 134.56 hectares in the Bukit Piton Class I Forest Reserve in Lahad Datu.
The effort is supported by The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Malaysia.
Its chief executive officer and executive director of WWF Malaysia, Dato’ Dr Dionysius Sharma said the effort in Bukit Piton is a collaboration between Sabah Forestry Department (SFD), WWF-Malaysia and WWF Singapore, and funded by Binkaitree, Holywell Foundation, The Silent Foundation and Foord Asset Management Singapore.
“We will plant 156 trees per hectare in this plot, which translates to 20,990 trees in total. The planting has just commenced this month and by end of December this year, we estimate that 30 hectares will be planted with 4,680 trees,” he said on the amount of trees that still needs to be planted for the ‘One Heart One Tree’ programme at the Kota Kinabalu Court yesterday.
According to him, WWF Malaysia has been reforesting the formerly degraded Bukit Piton since 2007 for the survival of tree-dependant orangutans which are thriving in the area.
“To date we have planted almost one million trees in Bukit Piton and we have observed orangutans using them as food, shelter and for travel, five years after the planting,
“Planting trees is a long-term investment, but the benefits are priceless, we get clean air, clean water, food, medicine and many more from the trees that we have around us.
“Our children and their children can enjoy these benefits from the trees that we have planted, even long after are gone from this earth,” he added.
He hoped the ‘One Heart One Tree’ movement will continue to grow and achieve its target of one million trees to be planted in Sabah by the end of the year.
In the same event, Dionysius also disclosed that they are currently raising funds for another reforestation project in Trusan Sugut Class I Forest Reserve, Beluran, in collaboration with SFD.
The aim is to restore a degraded area of 150 hectares with trees. The reforestation project will cost RM1.8 million. Meanwhile, High Court Judge, Datuk Nurchaya Arshad said that there is no denying the fact that the environment has to be protected and conserved to make future life possible, among other things.
“Indeed, man’s needs are increasing and accordingly the environment is also being altered. What is required is the sustenance, conservation and improvement of the changing and fragile environment hence this campaign today,” she said.
The campaign launched in Feb 3, this year, was inspired by Sabah and Sarawak Chief Justice Tan Sri Richard Malanjum who got the ball rolling.
The final event will be held in Kundasang, Ranau on Dec16. Also present were Conservation director of WWF-Malaysia Dr Sundari Ramakrishna, High Court Judge Ravinthran Paramaguru, Judicial Commissioner Ismail Brahim, Bexter Agas Michael, SLA President Brenndon Keith Soh, Sessions Court Judges namely Azreena Aziz, Elsie Primus, Noorhafizah Mohd Salim, Indra Ayub, Magistrates Cindy Mc Juce Balitus and Jessica Ombou Kakayun.
Source : New Sabah Times
