Malaysian Nature Society-Kuching Branch, Sarawak Forestry Corporation and Kelab Pencinta Alam Sekitar get together to plant trees in an urban nature reserve.

One sunny Saturday afternoon, about 100 people including children spent several hours of fun learning more about trees in an activity called, �Meet Our Trees� at Kuching�s Sama Jaya Nature Reserve.

A primary school pupil, Arnold Sheehan Ringkai said he learned about tree ecology and the importance of each part of a tree, through an interactive icebreaker session called �Build A Tree�.

�I also learned how to plant a tree,� said the Year Four boy from SK Kenyalang Park.

His schoolmate, Rebecca Roslee said she took part in �Meet Our Trees� - an event organised by Malaysian Nature Society Kuching Branch (MNS-KB) and Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) - so that she could learn more about nature.

Another 10-year-old, Avie Eveline Moksen from SK Tabuan said the event provided her the opportunity to meet and appreciate nature up-close.

�I also get to see different types of flora in the nature reserve,� she said.

Arnold, Rebecca and Avie are members of Kelab Pencinta Alam Sekitar (Environment Lovers Club) or Kelab PALS, which is a school-based nature club, and part of an-ongoing educational programme under the Natural Resources and Environmental Board (NREB).

On Oct 6 this year, MNS-KB and SFC invited some 50 Kelab PALS members to take part in Meet Our Trees, with the aim of raising the level of awareness among the younger generation on the importance of trees in combating climate change.

Kelab PALS was the brainchild of the then Sarawak Environment and Public Health Minister YB Datuk Amar James Wong Kim Min, who launched the programme in 1999.

Today, there are 286 such clubs, of which 172 are set up in primary schools and 114 in secondary schools.

Kelab PALS acts as a catalyst for pupils and students to create a more responsible and instrumental society towards the well being of the environment they live in.

The programme also promotes interaction among the various stakeholders ranging from government agencies to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as professionals in the fields of the environment and nature.

As such, Kelab PALS helps to prepare an organised structure for pupils and students to instil and develop their interest in environmental protection and conservation.

The club also aims to encourage and guide its members on the types of activities, which they can carry out in their respective schools; including environmental education in school curriculum and co-curriculum; increase co-operation among schools and community in ensuring the success of environmental education; and increase the level of awareness, concern, responsibility and commitment among school citizen towards environmental protection and conservation.

As for Meet Our Trees, it was MNS-KB�s second public event after the launch of a one-year community project called �Trees For Life� that was organised in partnership with SFC.

�Trees for Life� was launched during the MNS-KB's Family Day to commemorate the global �7.7.07 Live Earth� event. Held at Sama Jaya Nature Reserve (formerly known as Stutong Forest Park), the project is aimed at raising awareness about the pivotal role of trees in safeguarding our environment and reducing the impact of global warming.

It also aimed to establish a model for community participation in the conservation of Sama Jaya Nature Reserve, which is located near Tabuan Jaya.

Lessons learnt from the project could also be used to develop a model for community participation in the conservation and management of an urban nature reserve and hopefully, this would serve to be a catalyst for similar initiatives in other urban areas in the country.

Meet Our Trees featured fun and educational activities for children and adults alike, including interpretative walks in the Japanese Garden and Ethno-botanical Garden, tree planting, scavenger hunt, �wishing trees� and screening of environmental films.

Meet Our Trees was a follow-up activity to the �Trees For Life� community project � a 12-month project designed to create an opportunity for the residents of Kuching to actively participate in a community effort to realise the full potential of Sama Jaya Nature Reserve.

When addressing the Meet Our Trees participants, MNS president Anthony Sebastian said that to date, the society has planted some 8,000 trees all over Malaysia and this amount would continue to rise.

�With the recent concerns about changing climates, and how important planting trees are as a means of combating climate change, the MNS is increasing it efforts to bring tree planting to the Malaysian public in a bigger way.�

He was glad that the organisers made tree seedlings available to the general public, so everyone could buy a tree and plant it either at the nature reserve or at their home compound, and the funds go towards making this project self-financing.

This gave the public a chance to help rehabilitate the city�s urban green lungs, especially those that were forests, like Sama Jaya Nature Reserve, and make the place better for wildlife and everyone.

He commended the Kuching Branch and its partners, SFC and NREB for putting their heads together to make the project a success, particularly in educating the public on the importance of trees to address climate change.

�MNS over its 67 years has had great successes throughout Malaysia, and we have achieved this by forming partnerships with other organisations and government agencies, and this programme is an example of this, namely our partnership with SFC and NREB.

�Individually, organisations can do a lot, but when they come together in partnerships, they become so much stronger,� he explained.

Besides planting trees at degraded sites at the nature reserve, the MNS-KB Bird Group will be carrying out a bird census.

The Bird Group is conducting a monthly census of the bird population to determine the type, density and distribution of bird species within the Sama Jaya Nature Reserve.

This information will be used to produce a checklist of the bird species recorded in the reserve, and a map showing the different bird-watching routes, and the type of species likely to be seen along each route.

The organisers are also planning a wetland rehabilitation feasibility plant to explore options for rehabilitating the degraded wetland area within the nature reserve, including the establishment of an artificial wetland for waste treatment.

There will be two more Trees For Life follow-up events next year.

On Jan 5, the event will be themed "Biodiversity Of The Park" to stress the importance of flora and fauna in the nature reserve�s flora and fauna, while the theme for April's event is yet to be determined.

The organisers promise more exciting and educational activities for both children and adults alike, but pointed out that for these coming events and for the project to be successful and meaningful, the organisers require more volunteers to come forward to lend a hand.

Volunteers are needed to help take care of planted trees to ensure the trees grow up healthy. They also help to maintain the little nursery near the nature reserve�s museum for future events, either as a place to sell to members of the public or for more tree planting activities.

Regular joggers at the nature reserve and nearby residents are encouraged to do their bit as volunteers in these areas and of course, take part in the next two events next year.

Sama Jaya Nature Reserve covers an area of approximately 38 hectares and is Sarawak�s first multi-purpose urban forest park. Sama Jaya Nature Reserve is Sarawak Forestry�s first urban forestry project.

It consists mostly of Kerangas forest and provides a valuable green lung for the city; educational and recreational facilities for its people; and an important refuge for urban wildlife. It occupies part of the former Stutong Protected Forest, which is one of the oldest protected areas in Sarawak.

Part of the Protected Forest was gazetted as a nature reserve in the year 2000. The nature reserve is designed to provide an authentic urban wilderness with all its facilities and activities integrated into the natural forest environment.

Despite its suburban location Sama Jaya Nature Reserve is a rich reservoir of indigenous wildlife with a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

These include one primate (monkey) species, two species of squirrel, a shrew, three species of rat, fruit bats, tarsiers, 20 species, three lizard species, a species of tortoise and nine frog species.

Established in 1940, the MNS is the oldest scientific and non-governmental organisation in Malaysia. Its mission is to �promote the study, appreciation, conservation and protection of Malaysia�s natural heritage�.

The society has about 4,000 members nationwide in 12 branches.

MNS-KB was founded in 1997 and has been mainly focused on activities and programmes to raise environmental awareness amongst the general public.

The Kuching Branch currently has a membership of about 100 people from all age groups and from all walks of life.

For more information on the project, contact the project coordinator Susan Teal at sueteal2006@gmail.com or mnskuching@gmail.com.