PUTRAJAYA: Nestle Malaysia today said that it was committed to planting three million trees over the next three years through Project RELeaf, a reforestation initiative in Malaysia.
The initiative, is an important contribution by the multinational food and drink processing conglomerate's global ambition of achieving zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Two million trees will be planted across the Kinabatangan Wetlands and the Merisuli forest restoration area in Sabah and another million will be in the peninsular including areas along the Central Forest Spine (CFS) under the RM18 million project.
Project RELeaf, a continuation of Nestle's Project RiLeaf, is aimed to scale up the Switzerland based multinational company's effort in restoring riparian and forest ecosystems, establish wildlife corridors and mitigate human-animal conflict as well as protecting water supplies.
Nestle Malaysia Berhad chief executive officer, Juan Aranols, said Project RELeaf was not only about the corporation's environmental commitments but more importantly was about preserving Malaysia's precious ecosystems and biodiversity, supporting the nation's efforts of maintaning a natural forest cover of more than 50 per cent.
"Since 2011, we have been reforesting areas along the Kinabatangan River through Project RiLeaf, with the primary aim of mitigating water contamination of the Kinabatangan caused by agricultural activities, by restoring the riparian buffer zone.
"That journey is about to end, together with our main partners, Sime Darby Foundation, the Sabah Forestry Department and many others, we have crossed the 1 million trees planted this month.
"With RiLeaf project concluding, we wanted to embark on a new and even more ambitious reforestation programme as a concrete contribution to fight climate change and protect threatened ecosystems," he said in his speech at the project launch ceremony in Taman Rimba Alam, here, today.
The ceremony was officiated by Energy and Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.
Aranols said the project would kick-off in East Malaysia and will concentrate there in the first one year and six months. It would also be expanded in Kinabatangan while preparing for the launch at different locations along the CFS in the peninsular which most likely will take place in the later part of 2021 or early 2022.
One of the project areas in the peninsular will be the Ulu Muda forest area, in western Kedah where an estimated half a million plantings will take place in collaboration with the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS).
He said 25-40 variety species would be planted depending on the area but all the plants would have to be indigenous.
Trees that would be planted include fruit trees which will provide sustenance for wildlife.
"For example, along with the riparian buffer, the focus would be on flood tolerance species, while in the restoration area at the hill slope, drought tolerant species will be planted. The idea is to get maximum survivability for good growth in the future."
Aranols said Project RELeaf could be summed up in "3Rs" namely reforest, restore and respect.
"We want to reforest fragmented forest to mitigate human-animal conflict, and at the same time, provide food and sanctuary for a wide diversity of flora and fauna, including threatened wildlife such as Orang Utans and Malayan tigers.
"We want to continue restoring our riparian buffers and extend planting beyond the Kinabatangan River to include selected waterways nationwide. With this, we hope to help improve water quality by reducing the negative impact of human activities.
"We respect the presence of the local communities in these areas and will continue to empower and support their livelihoods, involving them in forest seedling purchasing as well as planting and maintenance activities," he said.
He said Nestle was confident that through win-win engagements with these local communities, it would build their awareness and participation in conservation and environmental sustainability for their benefit and benefit of future generations.
He added Nestle Malaysia will be working with government agencies and organisations including the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, the Sabah Forestry Department, MNS, the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Project, the Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre and Sime Darby Plantations.
Meanwhile, Shamsul said the Ministry applauded the initiative taken by Nestle to restore degraded forest areas across Malaysia.
"Forests significantly provide 30 per cent of climate change solution, with more than 50 per cent tree cover, Malaysia's forest can help limit global temperature rise to below two degrees Celcius.
"This project will complement the Government's Greening Malaysia Programme via the 100 Million Tree-Planting Campaign from 2021 to 2025," he said.