Almost 8 million mangrove trees planted nationwide since 2007

KUCHING, July 26 (Bernama) -- Almost 8 million mangrove trees have been planted along the country’s coastal areas since 2007.

Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the initiative to plant mangrove trees and suitable species in the country’s coastal areas involves an allocation of RM70.1 million.

He said that the allocation included provisions for tree maintenance, research, development, monitoring, and raising public awareness.

bootstrap slideshow

“This programme focuses on tree planting activities in the country’s coastal areas and  mangrove forests that are at risk of natural disasters and prone to erosion.

“To date, 3,461.64 hectares of land in coastal areas across the country have been planted with 7.95 million trees under this programme,” he said in his speech at the national-level International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem celebration here today.

The text of his speech was read by Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii.

Meanwhile, Nik Nazmi said Malaysia is committed to conserving its forested areas and ensuring that at least 50 per cent of the country’s total land area remains under forest cover.

He said that the agenda was in line with the commitment the country made during the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992.

“The country’s forested area stands at 18 million hectares, or 54.58 per cent of the total land area, with Sarawak contributing 7.67 million hectares, or 42.51 per cent of this area,” he said.

In the meantime, Nik Nazmi said that as of July 15 this year, a total of 91.16 million trees, involving 1,849 species, had been planted nationwide under the Greening Malaysia Programme: Planting 100 Million Trees campaign.

He said that Sarawak had successfully planted more than 35 million trees under the programme, achieving this target a year before the campaign is due to end in 2025.

-- BERNAMA