KOTA SAMARAHAN: Several entities and organisations are doing their part to ensure a ‘green’ environment, and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) are the latest to do so.
They collaborated recently to plant 1,000 trees within the vicinity of the campus in three phases.
The three-phase project which is in line with the Greening Malaysia Programme took place on May 15, May 29 and June 12.
Three types of trees namely Bucida, Eugenia Oleina, Tecoma and Causarina were planted around the campus.
A total of 428 participants participated in the tree-planting project, including 50 staff from SEB, 15 from the Faculty of Engineering, nine staff from Development Office, 340 students, 10 coordinator of MPU course and four staff from UNIMAS Publisher.
The trees were planted near DeTAR Putra, Pusat Islam Tun Abang Salahuddin, Kolej Bunga Raya, Faculty of Built Environment, Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development and UNIMAS Sports Centre.
Project leader Dr Mahsuri Yusof of the Faculty of Engineer said the joint project between UNIMAS and SEB was part of the utility company’s tree planting, protection and restoration of tree habitat programme which is also in line with the UNIMAS Low Carbon Campus 2030 initiative.
She said the trees were donated by SEB and they were handed over to UNIMAS by its manager (Research and Commercialisation) of Research and Development Department Dr Kiu Miin Fung.
“The UNIMAS Low Carbon Campus 2030 initiative represents the university’s commitment to sustainability and its contribution to combating climate change. By strategically planting trees within the vicinity of UNIMAS, it will increase carbon absorption, improve quality of air, and reduce carbon foot prints,” she said in a press release today.
Meanwhile, UNIMAS Publisher director Malia Taibi said the project also augurs well with the pledge to plant a tree for every book published by UNIMAS Publisher.
“This project is significant for UNIMAS Publisher as it symbolises our efforts to give back to Mother Nature. It also promotes sustainable practices within the publishing industry, by offsetting the environmental impacts of paper production and printing of books,” she said.
