TANJUNG MALIM: Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), a public higher education institution (IPTA), launched its ‘One Student, One Tree’ pilot programme under the 100 Million Tree-Planting Campaign with IPTA students, today.
Deputy Energy and Natural Resources Minister Datuk Ali Biju said through the programme, students can plant trees and adopt them in their respective IPTA campuses from their first year of studies.
“These students will be responsible for monitoring and maintaining the trees that are planted throughout their study period,“ he said at the launch in UPSI today.
Ali also hoped the exposure to such efforts, maintaining the ecosystem and greening the planet, can be appreciated by the students and passed on to future generation.
He said the ‘One Student, One Tree’ programme will be implemented in stages involving 20 IPTAs nationwide with focus on new groups of students.
He said the programme was designed to encourage students to plant trees and increase awareness of the importance of environmental protection and green cover.
Ali said as of Oct 25, this year, there are a total of 46.99 million trees comprising over 1,000 species, exist in forested areas, private land, residential areas, townships and at individual houses.
Meanwhile, according to a statement from the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry (KeTSA), the ‘One Student, One Tree’ programme was implemented by the Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department in collaboration with the Higher Education Ministry.
The statement said a total of 342 trees such as ‘penaga lilin’, ‘kelat paya’, ‘merawan siput jantan’ and ‘bunga tanjong’ were planted around the UPSI campus by new students in conjunction with the university’s recent orientation week.
The Malaysia Greening Programme’s 100 Million Tree-Planting Campaign was launched in January 2021 with the target of 100 million trees and the target is expected to be achieved by 2025.
The effort is part of the country’s commitment to join other countries to increase forest areas and green cover. - Bernama
