Page 18 - AW MayJune 19

SPECIAL INSIGHT

Foundation’s vision is to grow with its local communities
through water and river conservation programmes, and
create learning opportunities for future generation through
strategic partnerships for a better tomorrow.
Since 2007, the Foundation has rehabilitated 5 rivers
through public private partnerships in Selangor and Perak
and have built 8 alternative water supply solutions such as
rainwater systems and gravity in Sabah and Selangor. The
Foundation has reached and engaged 40,000 Malaysians
to date through it environmental conservation programme.
Under its education programme, the Foundation has
contributed more than RM6million to equip 580 teachers
from vernacular schools with lesson plans and tools to
make learning English engaging and fun.

ABOUT GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT CENTRE
Global Environment Centre was established in 1998 to work
on environmental issues of global importance. The Centre
is registered in Malaysia as a non-profit organisation but
resources to ensure availability and accessibility of clean works regionally and internationally both directly and
water, in line with the 2030 United Nations Sustainable through many partners. It supports information exchange
Development Goals. and capacity building as well as undertakes strategic
During the tree-planting programme, SPARK Foundation projects particularly in developing countries. It works in
also introduced the proposed clay dyke that will be partnership with other like-minded agencies worldwide.
constructed in the Raja Musa Forest Reserve in the third It has been appointed by ASEAN Member states as a
quarter of 2019. technical and operational; support partner of the ASEAN
Mr Faizal Parish, Director of the Global Environment Peatland Management Strategy 2006-2020 (APMS)
Centre and the Board Member of the National Water and has been working on peatland management and
Services Commission (SPAN) stated: “A clay dyke is one rehabilitation in Malaysia since 1998.
of the best methods to prevent over-drainage and The Selangor State Government through the Selangor
degradation of peatland forest. The site for the proposed State Forestry Department (SSFD) has been working with
clay dyke contributes a significant amount of water for the GEC to protect and rehabilitate peat swamp forests in
Sungai Selangor Water Supply Scheme that provides water Selangor since signing a MoU in 2010. The main objective
for more than 60% of Klang Valley users. Restoration of the of this MoU is to enhance conservation of peat swamp
peatland will help maintain the long-term water supply forests in Selangor and reduce the risk of peatland fires
function and reduce the risk of water shortages in Klang and haze. It will facilitate multi-stakeholder collaboration
Valley during extreme weather conditions. Additionally, involving the state government, private sectors and local
the dyke’s natural ability to re- wet the peat reduces communities to manage nearly 100,000ha of peat swamp
risk of peatland fires and enhance the conservation of forests in Selangor.
biodiversity in Raja Musa.”
Faizal further emphasised, “Corporates must take ABOUT SELANGOR FORESTRY DEPARTMENT
more seriously the recent warning by the United Nations- Selangor State Forestry Department (SSFD) is an agency
linked International Resource Panel (IRP) that up to 50% of responsible for managing, developing, maintaining and
the global population will live in water stressed areas by administering the state’s forests towards sustainable forest
2030, if current levels of water consumption and pollution management. Among the tasks performed are planning,
growth rate continues. They must start managing their administering and managing Permanent Reserved Forest
environmental performance through high-impact projects (PRF) in the State of Selangor to maintain and enhance
like the SPARK Foundation Water Stewardship Agenda. the PRF at Selangor
2030 is only 11 years away and urgent action is needed # In October 2016, the Malaysian Government
to address and prevent these impacts.” nominated the Raja Musa Forest Reserve to be part of
Also present at SPARK Foundation’s recent reforestation the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy (QCC) , an initiative
project were Roland Bala, Managing Director, Principal that creates a chain of network for forest rehabilitation
Funder of SPARK Foundation and 54 volunteers. and conservation among the 52 commonwealth
countries. The QCC accreditation and conservation
looks into the rehabilitation, conservation and protection
SPARK FOUNDATION:
SPARK Foundation was established in 2007 to support efforts implemented in Raja Musa through multi-cultural
corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the participation. Now, the Raja Musa Forest Reserve is a
areas of environmental conservation and education. The pioneer site for the Peat Swamp Forest Rehabilitation and
Conservation Project in Southeast Asia.

16 MAY/JUNE 2019 Asian Water