Kuching, Monday, 14 June 2010 - Sarawak Forestry Corporation and a Japanese company collaborated in rehabilitation of Sama Jaya Forest Park, launched today.  Funded by Toho Gas Corporation, a company which supplies gas around Nagoya in Japan, the project is aimed to rehabilitate the degraded areas in Sama Jaya Forest Park and contribute to the conservation of ecosystem and recreation.

Launching the rehabilitation programme, Datu Haji Len Talif Salleh, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Planning and Resource Management applauded the effort that was initiated with a MoU between Japan International Forestry Promotion and Cooperation Centre (JIFPRO) and Sarawak Forestry Corporation in December last year.  He said, “Within only 6 months, we are here today to witness a momentous launch of a significant collaboration and friendship between the two nations.  It is indeed a remarkable effort to kick start the forest rehabilitation project here in Sama Jaya Forest Park, which will benefit the generations of today and tomorrow.” 

Len Talif, who is also the Director of Forests and Managing Director / CEO of SARAWAK FORESTRY added, “the funding from Toho Gas for this tree planting activity is timely as it will also contribute to the "Green the Earth: One Malaysian, One Tree" campaign launched in April to commemorate the Earth Day”.  The campaign pledged to plant 26 million trees throughout Malaysia and Sarawak has set a target to plant 10% out of that figure (2.6 million trees) within five years.  He encouraged public involvement in order for the state to achieve that target of ‘One Sarawakian, One Tree’.  “I urge every Sarawakian to support the campaign to plant at least one tree each” he added.

Len Talif further stressed “There is a necessity to set up a mechanism to create a lasting fundamental environmental awareness at all levels of the community and society on the importance of conserving our environment and its natural resources, and how they can contribute towards maintaining a safe, clean and healthy environment.”  He denoted that it includes implanting and reemphasizing the principle of moral and ethical responsibility for the caring of the environment.

Muramatsu, General Manager, Environment Affairs Department of Toho Gas Company Limited, in his speech said, “Recently, various actions for the counter-measure in controlling climate change and for biodiversity conservation are pushed forward in various countries in the world.  In that sense, I believe that conservation and rehabilitation of tropical forests are very important measures for solving those problems.” 

Sama Jaya Forest Park Rehabilitation Programme for Conservation of Ecosystem and Recreation is a collaboration between Sarawak Forestry Corporation and JIFRO, funded by Toho Gas Corporation.  Malaysian Nature Society is partner to this programme.  The project which takes three years (December 2009 – October 2012) to complete is also aimed to foster an everlasting friendship between Japan and Malaysia.  It involves an area of 36 hectares to be planted with 20,000 trees of various indigenous species including Belian, Ramin, Dipterocarps, interesting endemic species and wild fruit trees.  Planting density is about 500 seedlings per hectare with planting distance of 5m x 5m.  The 3-phase project commenced in December last year, involves tree planting in land-filled areas and enrichment planting in forested areas. Maintenance will be carried out until the 4th year.  The project will enhance the quality and diversity of the forest at Sama Jaya Forest Park, hence providing a venue for recreation and education for the general public and students as well as better refuge for the wildlife. 

The Sama Jaya Forest Parkcovers an area of approximately 38 hectares and is the first multi-purpose urban forest park in Sarawak. Situated entirely within Kuching’s city limits in the suburb of Tabuan Jaya, it consists mostly of kerangas forest, providing a valuable green lung for the city, education and recreation facilities for its people, and an important refuge for urban wildlife.  The Sama Jaya Nature Reserve was gazetted on 23 March 2000 as a totally protected area under the National Parks and Nature Reserve Ordinance, 1998. 

Sama Jaya was formerly known as Stutong Protected Forest, and is one of the oldest protected areas in Sarawak, having been constituted in 1950.  The park is designed to provide an authentic urban wilderness, with all its facilities and activities integrated into the natural forest environment.  The first urban forestry project undertaken by Sarawak Forestry, Sama Jaya’s primary objective is to promote multiple uses of forests through encouraging outdoor recreation, nature conservation education and nature-based tourism; creating a reserve and refuge for urban wildlife; and conserving a “Green Island” for Kuching city. 

Sama Jaya Forest Park is very popular as a recreational area for Kuching communities, on the average, the annual number of visitors is around 110,000. Facilities already developed are jogging tracks, biology museum, ethno-botanical garden, Japanese garden, office and other public facilities.  It is also a refuge for urban wildlife as evidenced by records of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. These include macaques, squirrels, shrews, fruit bats and 26 bird species.