Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj and Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin engaging with Dzaeman on the centre’s ongoing conservation efforts.
SHAH ALAM: Sime Darby Property Bhd is advancing its biodiversity agenda with the unveiling of the 1.09-acre Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre (ERKC), which was officially launched by Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj, in the City of Elmina.
Positioned as the Gateway to Malaysia’s Natural Heritage, the ERKC demonstrates the company’s efforts to implement good biodiversity practices, focusing on conservation actions, research and development, environmental education, and eco-tourism, among other green initiatives.
Also present at the event were Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, Raja Muda Selangor Tengku Amir Shah and Selangor state secretary Datuk Haris Kasim.
“In addition to a climate change action plan, good biodiversity practices are fundamental components of a business’ long-term survival as it compels organisations to relook the way their businesses impact the environment,” said Sime Darby Property group managing director Datuk Azmir Merican.
“At Sime Darby Property, we highlight biodiversity as one of the four core imperatives in our sustainability strategy. We have pledged numerous efforts, initiatives, and programmes to enhance the value of our townships while protecting functioning ecosystems to give a place for nature within our developments. The ERKC charts a new milestone in Sime Darby Property’s sustainability journey toward continuously building sustainable townships and communities,” he added.
The ERKC provides a space for the community to engage in nature conservation and act as a resource and research hub for other green NGOs and related organisations.
“We cannot exist separately from biodiversity. We are dependent on all the ecosystem services it provides. A balanced approach to urban development and environmental conservation is required in order to facilitate a better and more healthy co-existence with the natural world. Working collaboratively with NGOs, different partners and the community is important to build on climate resilience,” said Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC) executive director Dr Dzaeman Dzulkifli.
“It is my hope with the ERKC initiative that everyone who comes to visit can improve their environmental literacy and learn about the intricacies of nature and our dependence on it,” he added.
The new centre is positioned as the Gateway to Malaysia’s Natural Heritage.
Since 2011, Sime Darby Property has planted over 120,000 trees within its townships to mitigate the effects of climate change. In extending this effort, the company has further pledged its goal of planting 50,000 endangered trees by 2030. As of last year, more than 21,000 of these trees have been planted.
In 2019, Sime Darby Property partnered with the TRCRC to develop the ERKC and an adjoining genetic store for the production and conservation of native tree species including those categorised as Endangered, Rare and Threatened.
From the start of its operations in October 2020, TRCRC has successfully nurtured a total of 187 species of plants including over 35,000 seeds sowed and more than 10,000 tree saplings stored in its holding area.
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