In a significant step towards environmental and community resilience against climate change, Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) and the Global Environment Centre (GEC) have expanded their mangrove restoration efforts across Johor, Kedah, Perak, and Selangor. This RM4.5 million initiative focuses on empowering local communities to enhance and protect vital coastal ecosystems.
During a ceremony at Laman Bakau Parit Kassim, key stakeholders from YSD, SD Guthrie Berhad, and GEC, alongside community leaders and state of Johor local authorities, launched the three-year “Mangrove Conservation & Community Resilience” programme.
This marks the second phase of the YSD-GEC collaboration, which initially began in 2020 with two communities in Perak. The initiative also involves state forestry departments, district offices, local authorities, and Friends of Mangrove groups across four states. Initiated in June 2023, this project builds on the successes of its first phase by expanding into three new states and strengthening the capabilities of six established community-based organisations (CBOs). These CBOs are instrumental in promoting sustainable mangrove resource use and conservation, enhancing regional resilience against climate change and coastal erosion while creating long-term economic benefits to the local communities.
Ling Tian Soon, Chairman of the Johor State Health and Environment Committee graced the ceremony and said, “These restored forests will enhance marine resources, support ecotourism, protect against natural disasters and contribute to blue carbon storage. The initiative aligns with Johor state government and national policies on mangrove conservation and protection, including the National Mangrove Restoration Projects and UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
He further highlighted the efforts in Johor, “The rehabilitation of 5,000 mangrove trees each in Pulau Tanjung Surat and Parit Kassim demonstrates our commitment to restoring Johor’s coastal ecosystems. These efforts will not only protect our shorelines but also provide crucial habitats for marine life, contributing to the overall health of our coastal environment and communities.”
Dr Hjh Yatela Zainal Abidin, Chief Executive Officer of YSD, emphasised the strategic importance of the project for long term positive impact, stating, “Our expansion into three more states targets beyond environmental protection to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for the local communities who are mostly B40. With the restoration of 25 more hectares of coastal land in our project’s second phase launched today, we aim to strengthen the natural barriers against the impact of coastal erosion and extreme weather events, safeguarding the homes and livelihoods of more than 5,600 community members. We are also laying the groundwork for future generations to understand and value the efforts
their communities are making to protect these vital ecosystems, adding 6 new schools to our climate change awareness programmes. Since starting Phase 2 last year, GEC has already reached 40 schools, significantly exceeding our initial expectations.”
The project spans six key locations – Kuala Gula and Sitiawan in Perak, Kota Tinggi and Muar in Johor, Sabak Bernam in Selangor, and Sungai Petani in Kedah. With the aim of planting 50,000 mangrove trees, the initiative will restore degraded coastal land, protecting communities from the impacts of climate change on coastal areas. Community-based monitoring systems are being established to ensure the long-term protection of the restored mangroves, with two trained patrollers from the local communities at each site.
By expanding on the success of mangrove-based products introduced in the first and second phase of this project like Mangroovist, Coolega, Tea Tide and Mangrove Brew; all of which have gotten recognition and approval from the Ministry of Health to be sold to the public, the programme also boosts the local economy.
Through comprehensive training programmes on mangrove ecology, nursery management, and sustainable planting techniques, the collaboration is helping the six communities involved, by building their capacity to manage their natural resources independently and sustainably.
Faizal Parish, Director of GEC, said, “In the past year, we have planted 38,350 mangrove trees across 19.175 hectares (76.7% of our target) in six project areas, involving over 200 members of Friends of Mangrove groups. Education and awareness form a crucial part of the project. To date, we have organised five mangrove school carnivals across the four states, engaging 711 participants, including 504 students. Additionally, we’ve conducted eight mangrove planting programmes and participated in 25 events, reaching 4,377 participants.”
This initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8, 11, 13, 15, and 17 – decent work and economic growth, sustainable cities and communities, climate action, life on land, and partnerships for the goals. It serves as a model for future conservation efforts by emphasising the role of community expertise and traditional knowledge in protecting ecosystems. Highlighting the importance of mangroves in climate resilience and carbon sequestration, the initiative is expected to generate critical
data and strategies over the next two years, supporting similar efforts both regionally and globally.
