Minister: 7.95 million mangrove trees planted in Malaysia since 2007

KUCHING (July 26): A total of 7.95 million mangrove trees have been planted across 3,461.64 hectares of mangrove forests in Malaysia since 2007, said federal Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

According to him, this initiative is part of the tree-planting programme for mangrove and other suitable species along the national coastlines, following the devastating tsunami that struck on Dec 26, 2004.

The programme was introduced and officially launched on Feb 2, 2007, in Pulau Sayak, Kedah, where a tsunami had severely affected.

“The programme focuses on planting trees along the coastal areas and mangrove forests that are prone to natural disasters and erosion.

“For nearly 20 years, the federal government has allocated RM70.1 million for this programme.

“This funding covers planting and maintaining mangrove trees and other suitable species, research and development activities, monitoring and also public awareness programmes,” he said in his speech, read by deputy minister Dato Sri Huang Tiong Sii, who represented him at the national-level ‘International Mangrove Ecosystem Conservation Day 2024’ at a hotel here, today.

Nik Nazmi also said RM7.41 million had been channelled to the Forest Department Sarawak under the programme. In this regard, he noted the positive impact of the programme, particularly in the areas of socio-economy and environmental sustainability – thanks to the support and cooperation of various parties.

In a related matter, Nik Nazmi affirmed Malaysia’s commitment to preserving and conserving forested areas nationwide, aiming to maintain at least 50 per cent of the country’s land area under forest cover.

Currently, 18 million hectares or 54.58 per cent of Malaysia’s land areas are forested, with Sarawak making up 7.67 million hectares, or 42.51 per cent, of this total,” he said.

“Through the ‘100 Million Tree Planting Campaign’ under the Malaysia Greening Programme, 91 million trees, comprising 1,849 species, have been planted nationwide as of July 15 this year.”

Nik Nazmi also congratulated the Sarawak government for planting over 35 million trees under this programme, meeting the target ahead of the campaign’s 2025 deadline.