UMS Celebrated World Forestry Day

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hutanTHURSDAY, 18 APRILWorld Forestry Day is celebrated worldwide every year on 21 March.  In Malaysia, it was celebrated in Pahang at national level with the theme ‘Forestry for Prosperity’.  Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) also celebrated the day with the School of Tropical Forestry (SPTA) as the organiser and had adopted the green concept.

With the theme ‘Our Forest, Our Future’, SPTA had chosen Dryobalanops Lanceolata or ‘Kapur Paji’ tree as the school’s official tree and was planted as a symbolic move towards environment conservation efforts.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation) Prof. Dr. Shahril Yusof representing the Vice-Chancellor of UMS, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd. Harun Abdullah, said that the World Forestry Day celebration should not be seen as a mere symbolic celebration but an awareness on the importance of appreciating the value of forests and sustaining it for each generation.

He said the chosen theme this year was appropriate towards realising the idea of EcoCampus where almost 60% of the land used in UMS were consisted of green area made up of landscape and natural forest.

“With the green area, carbon absorption process would be done naturally thus making UMS a municipality known as the 'Low Carbon City'.  This was because UMS will be surrounded by trees,” he added.

The World Forestry Day celebration also included an exhibition on tropical forests by the students of SPTA and colouring competition for primary school students within the vicinity of UMS. 

Also present at the function was the Dean of SPTA, Dr. Normah Awang Besar @ Raffie.

By Faezah Mohd. Dun
Photo: Musaab Umair

                                                                                                     Information and Media Section, Corporate Relations Division