SEDC, FDS join hands to restore forests

SIMUNJAN: A total of 503 native trees were planted at Sabal Forest Reserve through a joint initiative by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) and the Forest Department Sarawak (FDS).

This is the first collaborative programme between the two organisations.

The SEDC Tree Planting Programme 2026 on Thursday (Oct 8) brought together about 130 participants, including SEDC’s leadership team and staff, FDS officers and members of the local community, to support forest restoration and biodiversity conservation.

SEDC Group chief executive officer Rakayah Hamdan said the programme marked the first tangible outcome of discussions between the two organisations earlier this year on environmental sustainability.

“This programme is the first outcome of that collaboration, and we are proud to see our discussions translate into real action. Meaningful change begins with awareness, followed by action. Today, we took that action together,” she said in her speech.

The trees planted comprised various native species, including Eusideroxylon zwageri (Belian), Anthoshorea dealbata (Meranti Bumbung) and Shorea materialis (Selangan Batu Pasir), which are listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Rakayah said sustainability was increasingly central to SEDC’s operations and decision-making as the state development corporation continued to integrate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles into its business planning and activities across multiple sectors.

“While 503 trees is a small part of the overall target, every tree planted is a valuable investment in Sarawak’s environment and its future.

“We hope this will not be a one-off programme, but the foundation for a stronger and more lasting partnership with FDS,” she added.

Meanwhile, FDS director Datuk Hamden Mohammad highlighted the importance of forests in absorbing carbon dioxide and mitigating the effects of climate change.

He noted that tree-planting initiatives in Sarawak contributed not only to the state’s environmental conservation efforts but also to the global fight against rising carbon emissions.

The programme supports Sarawak’s Greening Programme 2.0 and the state’s broader forest restoration efforts, including the conservation of native tree species and the protection of biodiversity.

The initiative follows an engagement session between SEDC and FDS earlier this year to explore potential cooperation in tree planting, forest conservation and biodiversity protection.