INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON WETLANDS AND SUSTAINABILITY 2007

NATIONAL TREE PLANTING PROGRAMME FOR COASTLINE

PROTECTION UNDER THE NINTH MALAYSIA PLAN BY FORESTRY
DEPARTMENT OF PENINSULAR MALAYSIA1
by
Dato’ Hj. Dahlan bin Hj. Taha2 ; and
Suhaili bin Hj. Rosli3; and
Noradli @ Mohd Adli bin Parsada4
Abstract

Malaysia is a maritime country which has over 4,800 kilometers of coastline. The
coastal forests play valuable roles in foreshore protection, reducing coastal
erosion and reducing the impacts of storm surge. Under these circumstances,
the coastal forests in Malaysia represent an important ecosystem and accorded
a high priority in maintaining protective and productive functions along the
coastal lines. Recognizing the crucial role of coastal forests including mangrove
forests, freshwater swamp forests, riparian forests and beach forests, the Malaysian
Government is very concern about the importance of their existence and fully
committed to sustainably manage, rehabilitate and conserve these forests. The
2004 December 26, tsunami had caused enormous environmental damage to the
north-west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Damage assessments indicate that areas
with a relatively intact with trees along shoreline were less affected by tsunami. The
tsunami event has made the tree planting efforts initiated in early 1980s by the
Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia (FDPM) very much relevant and
important for coastline protection in the future. Under the Ninth Malaysian Plan
(2006-2010) FDPM in collaboration with other agencies and related research
institutions will enhance its efforts to continue to embark on the tree planting
programme along the coastal areas in the country. FDPM is heading one of the
technical committee, namely; Planning and Implementation Technical Committee on
National Tree Planting Program along Coastal Areas. A total of 5,998 hectares in
Malaysia; which is about 4,250 hectares of coastal areas in Peninsular Malaysia;
1,048 hectares in Sarawak and 700 hectares in Sabah has been identified that need
1
= Paper prepared for the International Seminar on Wetlands and Sustainability at Johor Bahru,
Malaysia on 14-16 August 2007.
2
= Deputy Director-General of Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
3
= Assistant Director of Silviculture, FDPM, Kuala Lumpur
4
= Assistant Director of Forest Plantation, FDPM, Kuala Lumpur
 INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON WETLANDS AND SUSTAINABILITY 2007

to be planted using appropriate approaches and methods. Between 2005 and 2006
about 260 hectares were already planted with 828,000 trees of mangroves species
and other suitable species. In the long term, this programme is not only to enhance
the coastline protection role but also provide considerable support to political, social,
economy and ecological stability as well as to increase the goods and services in the
future. This paper will discuss the needs, approaches, techniques and
implementation progress of tree planting programme along coastal areas under the
Ninth Malaysian Plan in Malaysia.

1
= Paper prepared for the International Seminar on Wetlands and Sustainability at Johor Bahru,
Malaysia on 14-16 August 2007.
2
= Deputy Director-General of Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
3
= Assistant Director of Silviculture, FDPM, Kuala Lumpur
4
= Assistant Director of Forest Plantation, FDPM, Kuala Lumpur