FDS PLANTS 3,000 'ENGKABANG JANTONG' TREES IN CONJUNCTION WITH INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS

KUCHING, March 21 (Bernama) -- The Forest Department Sarawak (FDS) planted 3,000 Shorea macrophylla, locally-known as engkabang jantong, trees at the Sabal Forest Reserve, about 107km from here, as part of its conservation efforts in conjunction with the International Day of Forests 2024.

"Countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organise activities involving forests and trees, such as tree-planting campaigns," the  FDS said in a statement today.

The FDS said the Shorea macrophylla is from the Dipterocarpaceae family and is an endemic species of Sarawak as well as other parts of Borneo. 

"Its fruit, the illipe nuts, is rich in oil content and thus Shorea macrophylla is also named the ‘butter in the forest’ by the locals," the statement said.

FDS deputy director Happysupina Sait and 100 participants, comprising FDS officers and staff, volunteers from the Japan Malaysia Association and local communities were involved in the tree-planting exercise.

In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 21 every year as the International Day of Forests to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. 

-- BERNAMA