Sunday 4 April 2010

Looking for dates for Saturdays? Still in the mood of (More Than) Earth Hour?

God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools. ~John Muir




But we can!


A pretty big task is currently going on - planting trees to grow back a peat forest in Raja Musa (Batang Berjuntai)!!

Date: April: 3, 10, 17, 24, May: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, June: 5, 12, 19, 26, July: 3, 10, 17, 24, 31,
August:
7, 14, 21, 28, September: 4, 11, 18, 25, October: 2, 9 16, 23, 30 (Every
SATURDAY)
Time: 8.30am - 12pm
Place: Raja Musa, Batang Berjuntai, Selangor


WHAT??

The Raja Musa Peat Swamp Forest Reserve covers 23,000 ha and is part of the North
Selangor Peat Swamp Forest. In the past 10 years, more than 500 ha of the reserve has been illegally cleared and burnt for farming activities. This have released thousands of tones of greenhouses gases, which contributes to the haze problems and ultimately, climate change.

Peat swamp forests are tropical moist forests where waterlogged soils prevent dead leaves and wood from fully decomposing, which over time creates thick layer of acidic peat. They are a significant carbon sink for the planet, absorbing carbon from our atmosphere. As we know, an increase of carbon is said to be one of the main factors causing global warming.


WHO?


GEC (Global Environment Centre) is an NGO undertaking this tree-planting initiative.

80,000 seedlings are going to be planted this year, i.e. a few thousand every single week.


HOW?

They need our help! Every Saturday for the next 7 months will be spent getting these seedlings back where they belong. All we have to do is dig the holes, place the seedlings in and cover it up.

If you have a Saturday morning to spare anytime over the next 7 months , and would like to do something great for the environment, do volunteer!


WHAT TO DO??


We don't have to go every Saturday. To those from other states, if you're visiting family around Selangor, do drop by to plant some trees.

For those who are interested, we invite you to:

1. Comment to this post and say when you plan to go tree-planting
2. Invite others to go with you
3. If you have a car and there's a group of you, do let GEC know that you'll be going so they can organise logistics.
4. If you're alone, do call GEC. They might have a spot for you as they arrange for car-pooling amongst themselves.

* For now, more volunteers are needed on 17 April! Currently there's no one going then.



HOW TO GET THERE?

The site is about 45 minutes drive from KL. For the map and more information, do visit GEC's website.

http://www.gec.org.my/index.cfm?&menuid=145


Our contact from GEC:

Regina Cheah
Sustainable Development Officer
Outreach and Partnerships Programme
Global Environment Centre
Tel: +603 7957 2007
Fax: +603 7957 7003
Mobile: +6012 229 2313

or email

suzana@gec.org.my

niki@gec.org.my


Let's plant some trees!!!




For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver. ~Martin Luther

5 comments:

TsuChong said...

I'll go on 24th April.

Shaun Lee said...

i will go on 1 may (assuming GEC is working on that day!).

who wants to come?

WPY said...

I think I can come on 1 May!! I'll contact you when it's closer to that date k?

Tsu Chong, I think Joyce is going on 24 April.

Anyone else want to join?

joyce said...

Folks,
Planning to go on 24th April. I have space in my car and can collect ppl from Kelana Jaya LRT station. Let me know. BTW, i've done this before...boots (like fish monger boots), long sleeve t-shirt, long pants/tracks and cotton gloves are advisable. It really is a peat swamp and you may be knee deep in water logged areas.

Shaun Lee said...

hello people! who is going this saturday, 1 may? i'll be there too!