24.3.4 Monthly Tree Planting Programme
The monthly tree planting activity is an annual activity organized to promote
the importance of conserving and protecting Raja Musa Forest Reserve, Selangor
to the public volunteers. The programme promotes environmental awareness and the
planting activity is designed to attract different groups of interest, including children.
They are exposed to the importance of peat swamp forest/peatland areas as a “natural
water reservoir” and “carbon sink”, which eventually relate to the bigger issue of
climate change.
24.4 Community-Based Capacity Building
The enhancement of engagement with the private sector by building relationships,
partnership, and cooperation is crucial to ensure continuous support in implementing
sustainable management of peatland activities in degraded peatland areas. One of the
most visible successes in rehabilitating the pilot site was the mobilization of strong
public and corporate support. A number of corporate companies extended their
support in the rehabilitation efforts under the initiatives by the Global Environment
Centre (GEC) in collaboration with the federal and state government agencies to
develop Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnerships in conserving and
rehabilitating the degraded peatland areas.
The employees of these various CSR partners participated in planting trees,
building check dams, fire patrolling and monitoring, planting trees in degraded
areas, and supporting best management practices through sustainable agricultural
and livelihood development practices for smallholders’ lands. Similarly, rehabilitation and fire prevention efforts at the pilot sites received substantial financial support
from the private sector, particularly from HSCB Bank Malaysia Berhad Malaysia,
Yayasan Sime Darby, BOH Plantation Sdn. Bhd, Gamuda Land, Innisfree Malaysia,
Bursa Malaysia, and many others.
Every year Peatland-related public events, roadshows, and exhibitions, the Forestry Department in collaboration with the State Government agencies, GEC, NGOs,
private sectors, and local communities organize several regional, international,
national and events to enhance the value of awareness in conserving and preserving
as well as promoting sustainable management of the unique and priceless peat
swamp forest at the state level. Besides creating awareness and educating the local
school students, the stakeholders involved in these events gained valuable experience engaging with the public and spreading the key conservation messages on the
peatland issues.
(a) Peatland Forest Ranger Programme with local schools.
The Peatland Forest Ranger Programme (PFR) and Junior Peatland Forest
Ranger Programme (JPFR) are environmental education programmes that have
been introduced and being coordinated in Malaysia. The aims of the programmes
660
N. Rengasamy and F. Parish
The monthly tree planting activity is an annual activity organized to promote
the importance of conserving and protecting Raja Musa Forest Reserve, Selangor
to the public volunteers. The programme promotes environmental awareness and the
planting activity is designed to attract different groups of interest, including children.
They are exposed to the importance of peat swamp forest/peatland areas as a “natural
water reservoir” and “carbon sink”, which eventually relate to the bigger issue of
climate change.
24.4 Community-Based Capacity Building
The enhancement of engagement with the private sector by building relationships,
partnership, and cooperation is crucial to ensure continuous support in implementing
sustainable management of peatland activities in degraded peatland areas. One of the
most visible successes in rehabilitating the pilot site was the mobilization of strong
public and corporate support. A number of corporate companies extended their
support in the rehabilitation efforts under the initiatives by the Global Environment
Centre (GEC) in collaboration with the federal and state government agencies to
develop Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) partnerships in conserving and
rehabilitating the degraded peatland areas.
The employees of these various CSR partners participated in planting trees,
building check dams, fire patrolling and monitoring, planting trees in degraded
areas, and supporting best management practices through sustainable agricultural
and livelihood development practices for smallholders’ lands. Similarly, rehabilitation and fire prevention efforts at the pilot sites received substantial financial support
from the private sector, particularly from HSCB Bank Malaysia Berhad Malaysia,
Yayasan Sime Darby, BOH Plantation Sdn. Bhd, Gamuda Land, Innisfree Malaysia,
Bursa Malaysia, and many others.
Every year Peatland-related public events, roadshows, and exhibitions, the Forestry Department in collaboration with the State Government agencies, GEC, NGOs,
private sectors, and local communities organize several regional, international,
national and events to enhance the value of awareness in conserving and preserving
as well as promoting sustainable management of the unique and priceless peat
swamp forest at the state level. Besides creating awareness and educating the local
school students, the stakeholders involved in these events gained valuable experience engaging with the public and spreading the key conservation messages on the
peatland issues.
(a) Peatland Forest Ranger Programme with local schools.
The Peatland Forest Ranger Programme (PFR) and Junior Peatland Forest
Ranger Programme (JPFR) are environmental education programmes that have
been introduced and being coordinated in Malaysia. The aims of the programmes
660
N. Rengasamy and F. Parish