Rehabilitation of mangroves a boost for eco-system

Dr Sahruddin signing a plaque at the event.

JOHOR BARU: Lotte Chemical Titan Holding Berhad (“LCTH”) in collaboration with Tanjung Piai Johor National Park spearheaded the rehabilitation of 1,000 mangroves in Tanjung Piai, a coastal mangrove area located at the southernmost tip of continental Asia managed by Johor National Parks Corporation.

The half-day event mobilised almost 50 people, including state Health, Environment and Agriculture Committee chairman Dr Sahruddin Jamal, Lotte Chemical Titan Holding Berhad chief financial officer David Tan Gek Seng, Johor National Parks Corporation director Mustafa Kamal Abdullah, Tanjung Piai Johor National Park manager Norwati Abdul Wahab and staff of LCTH and Tanjung Piai Johor National Park.

The event saw the planting of 1,000 mangrove seedlings along the coast of Tanjung Piai. The participants had the opportunity to experience hands-on mangrove planting and go on a tour around Tanjung Piai’s picturesque boardwalk.

Mangroves are extraordinary tropical forests that grow at the edge of the land and sea.

The eco-system stabilises coastlines, protects communities from storms and provides critical habitats for many animals.

In many coastal areas, communities are still critically dependent on the eco-system services mangroves provide.

“Many people are unaware of the role mangroves play in supporting biodiversity.

“Mangroves not only protect coastal areas against tidal currents but also strengthen the eco-system and create a sanctuary for dozens of bird species and wildlife”, said Tan.

He said the programme also helped to educate and raise awareness among employees and show them that they too can contribute to mangrove protection and sustainability through simple actions in their daily lives.

“We would like to thank Tanjung Piai Johor National Park for collaborating and helping us implement this programme.

“We hope that the seeds planted today will grow and prosper to protect Tanjung Piai’s coastal area.

“We are committed to leaving a green legacy for our future generation and hope this small act will help in the sustainable development of mangroves in Johor,” said Tan.

Tanjung Piai was gazetted as a Ramsar site in 2003.

Ramsar recognises the world’s most important wetlands and there are currently 2,200 Ramsar sites around the world.

Under the Ramsar Convention, the government and relevant stakeholders have an obligation to ensure the mangrove eco-system is maintained and erosion at the site is minimised or reduced to safeguard the ecological integrity of the mangrove eco-system.