Latest news with #ForestryDepartment
The Sun
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Adventurous motorbike race through Lenggong jungle terrain
IPOH: The lush Lenggong district, which is famed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, saw 302 motorbike riders from 15 countries flaunting their skills to manoeuvre through some 250km of arduous terrain during an international off-road race held from June 26 to 29. The Rimba Raid X Lenggong marked the annual event's 10th anniversary with Lenggong playing host for the second time. Rimba Raid is one of the largest off-road races in Southeast Asia, attracting participants from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, Italy, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Taiwan, China, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and USA. This year's event was divided into six categories, including a new one for e-bikes in line with the trend towards sustainable mobility. The race was flagged off by Lenggong MP Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah, who is also Home deputy minister, at Tasik Raban. The majority of the off-road race trails passed through Hutan Simpan Piah, a protected forest reserve. The terrain tested the riders' physical and mental strengths due to the jungle tracks, rocky trails, rivers, hills and mountains. 'The race not only promotes motoring sports but also enhances local economic activities, including businesses for homestay owners, as well as hawkers, rural tourism sectors and local youngsters who would benefit from the event. 'Although it is a sports activity, all guidelines set by the Forestry Department and other local authorities are strictly followed,' Shamsul Anuar said in his speech during the flag-off ceremony. Some 5,000 people converged at Lenggong to watch the race. There were brisk sales of local products, as well as a motorcycle exhibition, cultural shows and interaction with professional racers.
Malay Mail
09-07-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
New tree species discovered in Pasoh Forest Reserve, says FRIM
KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — A new tree species, 'Timonious pasohensis' was discovered at the Pasoh Forest Reserve, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan. Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) director-general Datuk Dr Ismail Parlan said the rare species was collected during the first re-census of the Pasoh 50-hectare (ha) plot in 1985 and was recently published as a new species in 2024. 'The establishment of permanent ecological plots allow researchers to study the demographics and dynamics of forests over a long period of Pasoh 50 ha long-term demographic plot is the second oldest large dynamic plot among the other 78 plots around the world. 'All trees with a diameter at breast height (dbh) 1 cm and above (in the plot) are measured, mapped, tagged, and identified. The tree census is carried out once every five years,' he said in his opening speech at the Pasoh Seminar 2025, themed 'Pasoh: Nature's Lab of Discovery' here yesterday. He said the research at Pasoh Forest Reserve had started since 1964, and in 1970, the FRIM Pasoh Research Station (SPF Pasoh) was established to study forest ecology in tropical lowland forests. According to him, an area of 1,840 ha of Pasoh Forest Reserve was gazetted as a research forest by the Forestry Department of Negeri Sembilan in 1977. 'I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia through the State Forestry Department, Negeri Sembilan for continuously supporting the research activities in the state,' he said. He said the number of research activities conducted at Pasoh has increased as FRIM collaborates with research institutions locally and abroad, such as the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO), The National Institute for Environmental Studies, Hiroshima University, Kyoto University as well as Forestry and Forest Product Research Institute of Japan. 'As a result of the collaboration, several long-term study plots have been established and the research focus has expanded from ecology to other aspects such as hydrology, climate, and zoology,' he said. Ismail said other than tree ecology, fauna monitoring studies were also conducted in Pasoh through the Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring (TEAM) research project which is one of the 16 plot networks globally involved in this research and 60 camera traps were installed to capture images of fauna found in this forest. 'Since 2011, various species of fauna have been captured, including species categorised as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN),' he said. Apart from that, the Carbon Initiative Research Project is carried out to determine the amount of carbon in the forest as well as its mechanisms that lead to time and space variation in the change of carbon pool in the Pasoh forest. Another long-term study conducted continuously at SPF Pasoh is the Seed and Seedling Monitoring Project led by researchers from National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan since 2001 which is a joint venture between FRIM, CTFS-ForestGEO and STRI. He noted that a new project under ForestGEO in Pasoh is 'Integrating physiological and demographic data to improve predictions of tropical forest dynamics in an Earth System Model' (NGEE Tropics) that studies the effects of environmental changes on plant physiology. 'Ecological studies are gaining increasing importance due to the escalating environmental challenges facing humanity, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource management. 'With this, a 52 metre high aluminium tower was built at SPF Pasoh to install research equipment used to record various types of data such as temperature, wind, rain and sunlight radiation. These data were used to study the effect of climate change on the forest environment,' he said. Ismail said since its establishment, publications from the research in Pasoh have exceeded 411, which include journals, books, proceedings, and other technical and semi-technical papers while the total Impact Factors accumulated from Journal Articles exceeded 675,734 points, with four publications recording Impact Factors higher than 35 points. In line with the increase of research activities at Pasoh, the infrastructure and facilities at the Pasoh station have also been improved with a new building under construction at the station designed to support various research and workspace activities, including offices, meeting rooms, laboratories, and a mini herbarium. Meanwhile, FRIM Forestry and Environment Division Director Dr Mohd Zaki Abdullah in his welcoming speech said the seminar was to highlight the wide range of research conducted at the Pasoh Forest Reserve. He said 108 participants have registered for the event, representing 12 different agencies, both local and international. — Bernama
IOL News
07-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
South Africa's ambitious plan to plant a million trees in one day
The Forestry Department aims to plant one million trees on September 24. Image: ImsoGabriel Stock via Pixabay As part of its National Greening Programme, South Africa's Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has announced an ambitious plan to plant one million trees on September 24. The initiative not only aims to mitigate climate change, but also create employment and enhance food security through the planting of fruit trees. At the launch of the One Million Trees Campaign at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden on July 7, South Africa's Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, said her department was currently finalising logistics for the 'one million trees' planting day. The DFFE has identified 'safe' spaces where the trees will be planted, where requirements such as water availability, a dedicated person to look after the trees, and security or fencing are in place. Such places will include public institutions such as schools, churches, clinics, Early Childhood Development Centres, and certain Low-Income Housing establishments. The trees will be sourced through a network of approved nurseries, and South Africans will be asked to sponsor trees as soon as the DFFE's online QR system has been set up. The donated trees will be stored at the 11 National Botanical Gardens across the country, and DFFE nurseries, while planting logistics are being finalised. 'We are calling on all South Africans to join hands in greening our country. This is an all of society campaign which calls on collaboration by government departments, municipalities, civil society organisations, Non-Government Organisations, corporates, students and learners, churches and the public at large to plant at least one million trees for the benefit of our country,' Swarts said at the campaign's Pretoria launch event. 'The country has borne the brunt of climate change and the resultant devastation it causes in communities and economies. We have witnessed fires, deadly heatwaves, heavy rains, floods, and prolonged droughts. These events underscore our shared vulnerability, but also our shared responsibility to act, to adapt, and to do so in a way that leaves no one behind,' she added. Swarts also underlined the importance of planting trees that were suitable for a particular area, and said that researchers were working with the department to develop a list of suitable trees in accordance with agro-ecological zones and climatic conditions in each province. The One Million Trees campaign follows President Cyril Ramaphosa's earlier instruction that 10 million trees be planted in the country over five years. Of these 60% should comprise fruit trees and the other 40% should be indigenous. 'I forever mourn when I go to Soweto and I see how we don't have enough trees in that Soweto environment and indeed in many other townships as well. So part of beautifying our cities, part of injecting life in our cities, should be looking at our environment, making it clean, making it attractive,' the President said during an address in March. IOL News
New Straits Times
05-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Kelantan police step up action against illegal gold panning
KOTA BARU: Illegal gold panning in Kelantan is still considered under control, with most activities carried out on a small scale, police said. Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said such activities, largely confined to traditional gold panning methods, do not involve any major or organised syndicates. "The situation remains manageable. Most of these activities are minor in nature and limited to small groups," he said. Yusoff added that enforcement efforts would continue under Op Bersepadu Khazanah, with support from other government agencies. "The police, through the General Operations Force (GOF), will continue working with the Forestry Department and the Land and Mines Office to carry out joint operations to curb illegal activities," he said. Op Bersepadu Khazanah, launched in 2019, is a nationwide integrated operation aimed at protecting wildlife and preventing illegal activities in forest reserves, particularly in areas rich in biodiversity and prone to poaching.
New Straits Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Sultan of Pahang: Enforcement on encroachment must be firm, consistent
KUALA LUMPUR: Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has expressed his dissatisfaction with the enforcement efforts to prevent encroachment on state land and permanent forest reserves in Pahang. Al-Sultan Abdullah said rnforcement measures to prevent encroachment on state land and permanent forest reserves in Pahang must not be seasonal or carried out sporadically. The Sultan of Pahang said measures must be consistently implemented to ensure that no party can take advantage of the situation to exploit the state's resources. He also said the state government must carry out enforcement in line with the law, and that parties found committing offences must face firm action as a deterrent to prevent similar incidents from occurring. "I am still unsatisfied with the enforcement efforts to prevent land encroachment, but I believe the state government is doing its best, as Pahang's forests are vast. "They require all available manpower to carry out continuous monitoring and enforcement to detect any encroachment. "Therefore, the state government can raise awareness and advise the people to assist by becoming the eyes and ears of the government and reporting such activities if they occur," he said. He said this during a meeting with the leadership of the Malaysian Women Journalists Association (PERTAMA), led by its president Sariha Mohd Ali, here yesterday. In April, Al-Sultan Abdullah had singled out illegal land encroachment as the main enemy in the state, which surpassed even drugs and crime. He revealed that 14,494.908 hectares of government land had been unlawfully seized and cultivated with oil palm, rubber, durian, and other crops. He also said 5,997.09 of permanent forest reserves have been encroached upon, allegedly in the name of agriculture, but instead a blatant robbery of state resources. On the same month, the Pahang government through its Forestry Department and the Pahang enforcement unit (UPNP) also launched a special operation dubbed as 'Op Sekat 3.0' aimed at combating illegal land encroachment activities in Raub. Regularisation efforts Commenting on the current status of encroached land in Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah said the state government is now conducting continuous monitoring of the regularisation efforts involving more than 14,000 hectares of state land. He added that following his disappointment over the widespread illegal encroachment and cultivation of state land by certain parties in April, the state government has since intensified enforcement, particularly in areas severely affected by such activities. He also said that among the forest areas targeted for the regularisation process are Raub, Cameron Highlands and Rompin, which involve not only illegal agricultural encroachment but also mining activities. 118 investigation papers opened Meanwhile, Pahang Forestry Department director, Zainuddin Jamaluddin, when contacted, said that over a 15-year period beginning in 2010, a total of 131 individuals have been arrested for encroaching on permanent forest reserves in the state, including 28 individuals detained this year. He said 118 investigation papers related to permanent forest reserves encroachment have been opened, with some of the accused having been issued compounds and fined up to RM10,000, while the remaining cases are still undergoing court proceedings. "Pahang has 1.6 million hectares of permanent forest reserves, of which approximately 5,997.09 hectares have been encroached upon, about 0.8 per cent. "As part of enforcement efforts in the encroached areas, we carry out tree felling before replanting forest trees in the affected permanent forest reserve areas," he said. Commenting on the regularisation programme for encroached land, he said the initiative aims to generate revenue for the state government, which has long suffered losses due to parties profiting from the theft of state resources.
