600,000 trees planted for Kelantan restoration works

TUMPAT: Some 600,000 trees of various species were planted by the Kelantan Forestry Department since June as part of the 2014 restoration works in flood-hit areas.

Its deputy director (Administration and Finance) Nik Mohd Hasanuddin Hussin said the process had been implemented in stages and was now expanding into areas around the Lebir River in Gua Musang.

“Recently, we managed to plant trees along a 20km stretch in some declining areas around Lebir River.

“This replanting process will be continued in stages up to the Sungai Kelantan,” he told reporters at the Greening and Beautification programme of Bandar Tumpat at Taman Kemahkotaan Tumpat, here yesterday.

Nik Mohd Hasanuddin said they were targeting a total of 1.1 million trees to be successfully planted this year based on the current development of the project.

The tree-planting project was being implemented through the provisions of the 11th Malaysia Plan amounting to RM1.7mil under the restoration programme for the rehabilitation of the declining areas along the Kelantan rivers.

Nik Mohd Hasanuddin said they also received advice from the Orang Asli on the species of trees, suitable to be planted on the riverbanks, besides obtaining the seeds from the community.

He said the selection of seedlings was important to comply with the location so it could withstand the onslaught of natural disas­ters. — Bernama