UMPSA launches Community Forest as a sustainable campus greening initiative
Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) has successfully launched a new site known as the Community Forest on the Pekan campus.
The new Community Forest site, covering 6.7 acres, is one of UMPSA's campus greening locations, in addition to the Sustainable Forest, a collaborative project between UMPSA and the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM).
UMPSA Pekan also has several other campus greening locations, including the Bioaromatic Arboretum, UMPSA Orchard, Nadir Plant Area, Scholar's Square, Recreational Lake, and Wetland Lake.
In this regard, UMPSA will continue its collaboration with the Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department and the Pahang State Forestry Department, which will supply a total of 800 saplings of various forest tree species identified as suitable for the environment and soil in the Community Forest area.
Among the tree species to be planted are Copperleaf Mahogany, Paperbark Keruing, Sand Balau, Keladan, Merbau, Chengal, and Kulim seedlings.
During the launch of the Community Forest, 200 saplings have already been successfully planted, and the remaining saplings will be received in several planting sessions scheduled for the upcoming year.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato' Ts. Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin, campus greening activities have been a primary focus since UMPSA's relocation from the Gambang campus to Pekan.
UMPSA launches Community Forest as a sustainable campus greening initiative
"UMPSA is highly committed to the greening and sustainability process of the campus to support the country's agenda in addressing climate change issues, which are the greatest challenges worldwide at the moment.
"We need to be aware that the world we live in needs to be preserved as best as possible so that it can be inherited by future generations with a good or even better quality of life than today.
"The initiatives implemented today can benefit the diversity of flora and fauna at UMPSA and create a platform for other campus activities, such as the creation of a forest recreational park or a location for nature-related research and plant studies," he said during the pre-launch ceremony of the Community Forest.
UMPSA launches Community Forest as a sustainable campus greening initiative
He further added that this program is part of UMPSA's ongoing effort in the Sustainable Campus Greening Initiative to actively support the Planting 100 Million Trees Campaign organized by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. Climate Change (NRECC).
"Our small effort is expected to contribute in some way to UMPSA's involvement in the national and global efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
"I also hope that UMPSA's community can collectively foster awareness of the importance of environmental conservation and preservation, as well as the positive impacts resulting from the initiatives we are implementing now on future generations," he said.
The launch ceremony of the Community Forest was also attended by Tuan Rusilan Said, Assistant Director (Development), Pahang State Forestry Department, and the university's top management.
