Article: Trees For Life project marks second anniversary

Thursday August 6, 2009

KUCHING: The Kuching branch of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) celebrated the second anniversary of its Trees For Life project with a day of activities at the Sama Jaya Nature Reserve here.

About 70 people comprising MNS members as well as volunteers from HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd, the Sarawak Autistic Association, Cahya Mata Sarawak, Eastern Oxygen and New Century Lions Club of Kuching planted 22 trees at a designated plot in the nature reserve and also took part in tree monitoring by tagging and measuring the young trees which were planted the previous year.

Trees For Life is a joint project between the MNS Kuching branch and the Sarawak Forestry Corporation.

It started as a community project in July 2007 to raise awareness on the vital role of trees in safeguarding the environment and reducing the impact of global warming.

Family affair: A woman and her son planting a sapling at the Sama Jaya Nature Reserve.

One of its aims is to restore degraded habitats in the Sama Jaya Nature Reserve.

Since 2007, MNS members, along with volunteers from primary and secondary schools, the public and private sectors and individuals from as far as Brunei and Australia, have sponsored and planted about 300 trees of native species at the nature reserve.

Formerly known as the Stutong Forest Park, the reserve covers 38ha.

It is a popular venue for joggers and nature lovers and is the only place in the city where original forest trees can still be seen growing in their natural habitat.

It is also an ideal place for bird-watching, with more than 50 bird species recorded in the reserve.

This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 6 August 2009