Reach is pleased to announce that the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia ( under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment NRE), has awarded a grant to Reach to restore and rehabilitate 2 hectares of illegally cleared forest under the Greening of Cameron Highlands project. We would like to extend our thanks to NRE for giving us the opportunity to assist in the task of rehabilitating encroached forests.
The award ceremony by NRE took place in their headquarters on the 24th of May 2017. The site to be restored is at the Batu Gangan Forest Reserve near Kuala Terla. Reach will begin work once forestry officials has shown us the site.
We would like to invite participants to join us in this reforestation effort. For those who are keen ,please contact us
What is the ‘Greening of Cameron Highlands’ project?
The Greening of Cameron Highlands project is basically a project formed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment NRE (which also includes involvement of NGOs) to undertake rehabilitation and restoration of encroached forests reclaimed by the Government following the crackdown on illegal land clearings and foreign workers which started in 2014.After the mud floods in Ringlet on the 5th of November 2014, the Federal Government stepped in to assist the State Government of Pahang to restore Cameron Highlands to its former pristine state ie. to restore law and order, especially where illegal immigrant workers and land clearing is concerned.
As a result of this large scale law enforcement work, many illegal workers were caught and farms demolished. These brought its own set of problems as demolished farms,usually on steep slopes were prone to erosion and the exposed areas had to be rehabilitated fast.
The NRE reforestation plan (Greening Cameron Highlands Task Force ) spans 5 years. Endemic plants will be used examples include Meranti bukit, Gerok,Merpauh, Ratsamala,Medang serai,Eugenia and Gandis. Cover crops to be used will also be endemic ones and they include melastoma, anggur bukit and lichopodium.