KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) recently concluded its month-long World Environment Day 2024 celebrations with a pledge to continue protecting Malaysia’s central forest spine.

The event, held at SD Guthrie Berhad Auditorium in Ara Damansara, highlighted the foundation’s commitment to driving environmental conservation through community engagement and emphasised the critical need for its ongoing efforts.

For the uninitiated, the central forest spine is a critical ecological corridor that spans 5.3 million hectares over eight states; namely Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Johor, Pahang, Terengganu, and Kelantan — providing habitat to endangered flora and fauna species.

The foundation’s conservation strategies in this key area focus on improving ecological connectivity and activating community-led conservation and anti-poaching efforts.

To date, nearly RM27 million has been directed towards these initiatives, part of a broader RM206 million YSD investment in environmental protection since 2009.

The event finale featured the exclusive screening of the YSD WildRoots docuseries, which highlighted the foundation’s ongoing commitment to environmental protection.

The project was a collaborative effort with eight partners; namely the Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre TRCRC, Persatuan Pelindung Harimau Malaya (Rimau), Nature Based Solutions (NBS), Gaia, Perak State Parks Corporation (PSPC), Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (Reach), and SD Guthrie Berhad to bolster these efforts in four out of the eight states along the ecological corridor.

In attendance were YSD chairman Tunku Tan Sri Imran Tuanku Ja’afar, chief executive officer Yatela Zainal Abidin, YSD governing council member and Sime Darby Berhad group CEO Datuk Jeffri Salim Davidson and YSD governing council member Puan Sri Normah Hashim as well as management and the employees of YSD donor companies; namely SD Guthrie Berhad, Sime Darby Berhad, and Sime Darby Property Berhad along with project and corporate partners including GLC Demi Rakyat dan Negara and government representatives, marking a united front in environmental stewardship.

Speaking at the event, Tunku Imran said the role of the ecological corridor is vital in Malaysia’s biodiversity as it is home to critical species such as the Malayan tigers and the hornbills.

"Aside from our collaborative work on the ground in the central forest spine on human-wildlife coexistence management, anti-poaching efforts, and planting of trees, YSD focuses on advocacy and spreading important knowledge on saving the environment with innovative initiatives.

"With the screening of the WildRoots docuseries today, our conversation about sustainable practices and community development for environment conservation continues.”

The short docuseries captured various aspects of Malaysia’s biodiversity, the ongoing conservation efforts as well as dangers and challenges facing the environment and wildlife.

The docuseries also featured Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad lauding YSD’s initiative with its project partners.

"The WildRoots docuseries truly encapsulates the government and many other stakeholders’ work and commitment in saving the central forest spine, inviting Malaysians from every segment of society to contribute to preserving our environmental heritage,” he said.

The event also saw a panel discussion featuring conservation insights from Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department senior director (Forest Management Division) Datuk Ahmad Fadzil Abdul Majid, Terengganu State Parks Management Council chief assistant director Shahriz Ahmad Laili, TRCRC executive director Dzaeman Dzulkifli, and Rimau president Lara Ariffin.

The event concluded with a sharing session on the importance of hornbill species and their protection within the central forest spine landscape by Gaia environmental awareness and education director Sanjitpaal Singh.

There will also be the inaugural National Hornbill Day starting this November.

For those who wish to lend a helping hand to the conservation efforts, YSD invites the public to engage in ongoing projects by volunteering with its partners in various initiatives promoting reforestation, environment conservation and education.