The State government through the Sarawak Forest Department is stepping up in promoting its green agenda.
Under the Le Tour De Restoration program or Greening Sarawak campaign, the Sarawak Forest Department is distributing 50, 000 tree seedlings.
This initiative is in line with the Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030) to develop the State economy while maintaining environmental sustainability by replanting trees in degraded forests.
The program which was launched on 30th September this year was held in conjunction with the State Civil Service Innovation Day.
The restoration program was also held in in various locations State-wide to achieve the target of 50,000 saplings distribution.
The date of the Le Tour restoration programs in Sarawak are as follow:
| No | Date | Location |
| 1 | 30 September | Kuching |
| 2 | 4 October | Sri Aman |
| 3 | 7 October | Sarikei |
| 4 | 11 October | Kapit |
| 5 | 13 October | Sibu |
| 6 | 16 October | Bintulu |
| 7 | 20 October | Miri |
| 8 | 22 October | Limbang |
(Source: Sarawak Forest Department website)
For the program, the ‘Seed Ball’ approach is used to further strengthen tree replanting or forest restoration in the state.
It was noted that the initiative would use done drone technology to sow or drop seedlings in targeted areas to facilitate tree planting activities in areas that are difficult to launch into such as hilly areas.
It is said that each seed ball coated with tree seeds can reach a sprouting rate of up to 90 per cent after seven to 14 days of sowing.
The cost of preparing the seed ball is cheaper in comparison to other methods.
During the launching ceremony, the Sarawak Chief Minister, YAB Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg was quoted saying that forest landscape restoration was the state government’s main agenda in greening Sarawak.
In the effort of green restoration, the State government has allocated RM62 million to the Sarawak Forest Department to carry out restoration programmes throughout the State under the 12th Malaysian Plan (RMK-12).
In addition to this, the Federal Government has allocated RM4 million under its 100 Million Tree-Planting Campaign as well as RM6.37 million for mangrove planting and social forestry to the Sarawak Forest Department this year (2021).
This is in line with the Sarawak Forest Department goal of planting 35 million trees from this year to 2025.
