| Kuala Belait – Britain’s Prince Charles and His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office extended their support to the Heart of Borneo (HoB) project with the planting of the 1,000th and 1,001st Tulong trees (Agathis borneensis) at Badas Forest Reserve area in Belait District yesterday.
Constituted in 1948 to be legislatively protected under the Forest Act which aims to conserve an area of Tulong trees, the 76 hectare Badas Forest Reserve makes up 58 per cent of Brunei HoB initiative.
The tree-planting ceremony facilitated by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR) were part of the activities lined up for His Royal Highness' two-day official visit to Brunei.
Upon arrival, the heir to the British throne was received by the Crown Prince as Dusun traditional music filled the air. Dusuns are the indigenous group populating the area.
His Royal Highness were briefed on Badas Forest Reserve area history and background by Forestry Department Director Hj Saidin Salleh before having a get-together with a member of the State Legislative Council who is also Kg Lumut Village Head, officers from World Wildlife Fund, Executive Director Conservation WWF International and WWF Heart of Borneo Network Initiative Leader.
The Crown Prince and Prince Charles were then ushered to view an exhibition from Forestry Department of MIPR; Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation under the Ministry of Development, Brunei Shell Petroleum, World Wildlife Fund to name a few.
The group then visited the planting area, the hard work of students of the International School Brunei (ISB), Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College, Anthony Abell College, Rimba Secondary School and Perdana Wazir Secondary School.
Prince Charles was received by David Taylor, ISB's director and briefed on the area floral and fauna by Noralinda Ibrahim, senior officer from Forestry Department before having a get-together with the students school involved in the Million Trees project.
Sayyidina Hassan Secondary School and Seri Mulia Sarjana School, winners of the 10th Princess Rashidah Young Nature Scientist Award (PRYNSA) also got the chance to talk about their winning project to His Royal Highness yesterday.
Prince Charles and the Crown Prince then proceeded to plant the 1,000th and 1,001st Tulong trees at the designated planting site.
Also present yesterday were the MIPR minister, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Haji Yahya Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar, MIPR deputy minister, deputy minister from the Ministry of Development, Forestry Department Director, Brunei Shell Petroleum Managing Director, among others.
The 1,000 trees reforestation project was an ISB initiative which received full support from the Forestry Department.
The areas which were prone to arson fires especially during dry spells urgently needed human intervention in preventing the continuous deterioration of the site through assisted natural regeneration (ANR).
This could be achieved by planting of the indigenous species, in this case Tulong trees to aid the natural recovery process.
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