MURUM: Sarawak Energy continues to maintain and manage the Murum Flora Conservation Garden at one of the islands of the Murum Hydroelectric Plant (HEP) reservoir as part of its long-term commitment towards sustainable environmental conservation.
The maintaining of the island is also 10-year campaign to plant and protect 500,000 trees under its Tree Planting, Protection and Habitat Restoration Campaign 2021-2023.
According to Sarawak Energy Group chief executive officer Datuk Sharbini Suhaili, Sarawak Energy is targeting to plant or protect 50,000 trees in 2022 and would also be enriching the hydropower catchment areas by planting more trees while protecting existing species and associated ecological services.
“As a responsible hydropower developer, we continue to build on our previous environmental initiatives and make it our priority to sustain these initiatives.
“Tree planting is part of a suite of important nature-based solutions in our goal to conserve the environment and combat climate change, especially when we do it together on a larger scale and in collaboration with our partners and stakeholders,” he said on Wednesday (Oct 12).
Sharbini was at the island on a walkabout accompanied by SEB Power chief executive officer Ir Bunyak Lunyong; senior vice-president for health, safety, security and environment, Marconi Madai; and vice-president for hydro, Ir Polycarp Wong.
They and other members of the management team and staff also planted 50 trees as part of the campaign in conjunction with Global Hydropower Day.
Since the establishment of the Murum Flora Conservation Garden, Sarawak Energy has planted 1,528 plants consisting of mixed dipterocarp species like the gaharu, belian, keruing, meranti, nyatoh, ensurai and engkabang and other species such as tongkat ali, bamboo, and non-tree species namely the wild orchid, ethno – botanical among others.
The Murum Flora Conservation Garden was set up in 2015 under the Wildlife Monitoring and Rescue (WiMOR) operation done in preparation for the construction of the Murum HEP, to conserve native plant species in the dam’s reservoir area.
An estimated 32,000 plants with around 12,000 tree seedlings have been relocated or planted at the reservoir area, including on the island, which covers approximately 1.4ha land area. The island is a 30-min boat ride from Murum HEP Intake jetty.
