Tutong - Last year's target mission to plant a total of 60,000 trees has been accomplished as Minister of Industry and Primary Resources Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Utama Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Yahya bin Begawan Mudim Dato Paduka Hj Bakar yesterday rolled up his sleeves to plant the 60,000th tree at Compartment 37 of Bukit Ladan Forest Reserve in Tutong.
Held in conjunction with World Forestry Day 2011, the Mass Tree Planting campaign also saw 739 Aquilaria Malaccensis (Agarwood), commonly known as ‘Gaharu,' seedlings planted over a five-hectare area.
Organised by the Forestry Department of MIPR, the ceremony saw the participation of 180 individuals, among them personnel from HSBC, SCB, Baiduri, BIBD, TAIB, TAP Energy, PTAS and BSA.
The 6.30am event was held within the forest reserve and saw the attendance of MIPR Acting Permanent Secretary Mohd Riza bin DP Hj Md Yunos, MIPR Deputy Permanent Secretary Hjh Normah Suria Hayati binti PJDSMDSU (Dr) Hj Mohd Jamil Al-Sufri and the Director of Forestry, cum chairman of the ceremony, Hj Saidin bin Salleh.
The distance between seedlings along the planting lines is five metres, while the distance between the planting lines is 14 metres.
According to the MIPR, Compartment 37 of Bukit Ladan Forest Reserve is located within the Heart of Borneo (HoB) area. This area is identified as an additional conservation area and the planting was aimed at enhancing wildlife habitat and enriching biodiversity resources.
In 2010, the Forestry Department was committed to planting 60,000 trees as part of an effort to support the Convention on Biological Diversity's target in reducing the global biodiversity loss and also in conjunction with the International Year of Biodiversity.
The 60,000th tree is a species of ‘Gaharu' that was received by the Minister of Industry and Primary Resources during the launching of World Forestry Day on March 21, 2011. The planting marks the department's achievement and the closing of the last year's planting target, which has now accumulated to 60,000 trees. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin.
