PNR gets boost with planting of 15 more local saplings

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(Front row – from fourth right) Kwan, Karambir, Dr Konijnendijk and others in a photocall before planting their saplings.

MIRI: The establishment of Piasau Nature Reserve (PNR) as a green lung for the city was boosted with the planting of 15 saplings of local species on Friday.

Park warden Samantha Kwan said the tree-planting event was held in conjunction with Conservation, Education, Promotion and Awareness (CEPA) programme and also a public talk entitled ‘Urban Forestry and Ecosystem Benefits’.

The talk was delivered by prominent speaker on urban forestry, Professor Dr Cecil C Konijnendijk, from the University of British Columbia.

The talk was participated by mostly members of Piasau Camp Miri Nature Park Society led by Karambir Singh  their treasurer and members of the Malaysian Nature Society here.

Kwan said three tree species – Kemayau, Ubah and Nyatoh – were planted to boost food production for the wildlife in the nature reserve and also as part of the ongoing ‘Bring Back the Rainforest’ (BBtRF) initiative of Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) for the nature reserve.

“With the planting of these saplings, over 2,000 trees have so far been planted since BBtRF was launched on Sept 11, 2016 by Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud,” said Kwan.

She said so far the saplings were growing well although a few died. She urged corporations, organisations and individuals here to continue supporting the initiative, adding that adoption fee to help restore the habitat and conserve the wildlife there was RM50,000 per plot for the corporate sector and RM3,000 per tree for each individual.

“We welcome not only sponsorship but volunteers to help us nurture the saplings like watering and fertilising them. Perhaps, those joining the monthly Hornbill Walk organised by PCMNPS on every third Saturday of the month could also allocate a few minutes of their walk in tending to the plants and trees,” she said.

Anyone interested can contact her at PNR Ranger station at 085-644487 during office hours.

Kwan said works on the nature reserve were still being carried out while the visitor centre will be opened to the public in February next year. Besides the visitor centre, when all components of the master plan had been carried out, PNR would have a range of plants, nature trails, and other facilities for visitors.

Under the BBtRF plan alone, five gardens, namely Piasau Garden, Mixed Species Garden, Fruit Tree Garden, Ficus Garden and Herbal Garden would be established.