A ‘kick-off’ ceremony was held on Saturday, 7 December 2013 to mark the construction of a new forest trail at the Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve (KDCF). The trail which is funded by the staff of IJM Land is the first forest trail to be created as a corporate social responsibility initiative in close collaboration with local community organisations and the Selangor Forestry Department. The new 2 km trail which will be completed in about five months will create opportunities for forest recreation and environmental education for local residents and users of the adjacent Taman Rimba Riang public park.
The ceremony coincided with IJM ‘s GIVE DAY OUT 2013 in which more than 120 enthusiastic staff and representatives of IJM Land participated in the maintenance of KDCF’s 7 kms of sustainable forest trails and a lake-clean up. A team of 20 also completed construction of the first 200-meter length of the new trail.
IJM Land’s CEO and Managing Director, Dato’ Soam Heng Choon, said, “Contributing to community and environment have always been our core pillars of corporate responsibility. To align with the philosophy, we have been working with Kota Damansara Community Forest since 2011. We had planted 100 trees in this forest in 2011 and revived the lake by releasing more than two thousand fishes to the lake in 2012. This year, we are pleased that our employees indicated their desire to adopt a trail here. We believe this initiative will further encourage the community to enjoy a healthier lifestyle while sustaining the ecosystem of this forest. ”
Also present were Awang Shaffie of the Selangor Forestry Department and representatives from the Trails Association of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (TRAKS) and Persatuan Rimba Komuniti Kota Damansara (KDCF Society).
“KDCF Society has been involved in implementing community engagement and trail-building programmes here for several years, work we have been able to sustain with the generous support of the UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grant Programme”, said Leonard Leong, who is the Society’s Treasurer.
“We consider ourselves greatly privileged to be able to play a part in connecting people with this forest refuge together with our key partners the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) and TRAKS. In coming years, private sector funds can be expected to increase in importance in sustaining green spaces such as the KDCF. We are immensely pleased that our first sponsored forest trail is being built with longstanding friends from IJM Land who have proven to be interested and committed supporters,” he added.
The new trail is the fourth 2-km loop to be constructed at the KDCF under the supervision of TRAKS which specialises in building sustainable tropical forest trails which are constructed with simple tools and minimal impact on the forest ecosystem.
“The KDCF trails are also special because they are built by volunteers who are assisted by our experienced Temuan Orang Asli trail-builders. The process of trail-building helps build a sense of connection with the forest and forges relationships among forest users from all backgrounds that would not otherwise have an opportunity to interact. We are excited about the opportunity to work with new groups in trail-building this year and ultimately to enhance awareness and appreciation of the forest among those that frequent this area,” explained Yong Foo Chuen, who is Vice President of TRAKS.
Volunteer Trail-building Days at the KDCF are expected to commence in January 2014. Individuals and groups that are interested in getting involved are encouraged to contact TRAKS or KDCF to find out more. Volunteers will receive on-the-job training and no previous experience or special skills are needed.
