Article: Centre for eco-education

Friday May 8, 2009

By DERRICK VINESH

AN eco-education centre has been proposed to be set up in South Seberang Prai to showcase mangroves trees found in Penang.

State Forestry Department director Mohd Puat Dhahalan said the centre, if approved, would be modelled after the Kuala Sepetang Eco-education Centre in Taiping.

He said the Penang Inshore Fishermen Welfare Association (Pifwa), which mooted the idea for the centre, often ferried local and foreign tourists to some of the popular mangrove sites in the state.

“Pifwa suggested a one-stop centre, where saplings of several mangrove trees can be planted in a natural environment for the benefit of students, researchers and tourists alike,” he said after planting 700 bakau minyak saplings in Sungai Semilang, Juru, yesterday.

Mohd Puat said Pifwa had identified 2ha of state land in Sungai Chenaam in Sungai Acheh for the centre.

Among the mangrove species that Pifwa had proposed to plant there, he said, were pokok api-api, berembang, perpat, sonaratis, bakau minyak, bakau kurap, nyirih batu, nyirih bunga and tumu.

Mohd Puat said once Pifwa prepared a detailed proposal on the centre, he would submit the plan to the state government for its endorsement and further action.

He said the department would seek necessary assistance from the Kuala Sepetang Eco-education Centre located in one of the world’s best managed swamps, the Matang Mangrove Reserve.

Since 2005, he said, the de-partment and Pifwa had planted over 140,000 mangrove trees in Balik Pulau, Sungai Chenaam, Batu Kawan, Juru, Kuala Sun- gai Kerian, Pulau Burung, Kuala Muda and Kuala Sungai Haji Ibrahim.

Mohd Puat said the depart- ment had this year received a Federal Government allocation of RM330,000 compared to RM250,000 last year to con- duct mangrove planting activities, while the state gave an annual grant of about RM300,000 for related activities.

Last year, the department with the help of non-governmental organisations, planted mangrove saplings covering 20ha of land in the state.

“We have a similar target for this year,” he said, adding that the main locations would be the tsunami-hit areas in Kuala Muda and Balik Pulau as well as Sungai Kerian in Nibong Tebal.

Pifwa chairman Ilias Shafie said the mangrove saplings were usually cultivated at the association’s nursery in Sungai Acheh for about six months before they were transferred to their natural habitats.

“We hope the centre can be ready by next year. Apart from an administrative office and toilet facilities, we are also proposing that a community hall be built there,” he said.

Penang Environment Working Group (Pewog) chairman Datuk Dr Ong Hean Tee said he would work closely with the private sector to obtain sponsorship for the centre.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Metro: North 8 May 2009