00:00Hi, I'm Intan Shafika. I'm Amiru Mokminin. We are from TRCRC!
00:06And we are one of the winners for the Star Golden Hearts Award 2025.
00:10Woooo!
00:25Once, Malaysia's tropical rainforests stood under the rain of gentle giants, Meranti, Keruwing, and Balau, dipterocarpesi trees that rose more than 60 meters above the forest canopy.
00:37But decades of logging and land clearing have taken their toll, leaving many of these majestic species on the brink of extinction.
00:46Today, efforts to bring them back to life are being led by the Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre, TRCRC, which is working to restore Malaysia's native forest species, one seed at a time.
01:00Its conservation and project coordinator, Intan Shafika Mohamad Hamazan, said the dipterocarpesi family is crucial to Malaysia's tropical rainforests.
01:10Actually, in the tropical rainforests, this family covers 80% of the tropical rainforests canopy.
01:17It will fruit 5 to 7 years once, and somehow, a few of the species might take up to 10 years to produce it.
01:25Some of the people asked us why we didn't do any seed bank or store these seeds.
01:42It's because the seeds have recalcitrant seeds that we have to actually retain the moisture for it to produce, so we cannot do any seed banks.
01:50Founded in 2012, TRCRC operates across three sites, Merisuli in Sabah, Banun in Perak, and the Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre in Selangor.
02:02Each site plays a unique role in restoring Malaysia's native forests.
02:06In Sabah, we have 200 hectares of conservation sites, which we are doing the at-situ conservation to actually save this dipterocarpaceae family, and also to plant them, and then doing reforestation over there.
02:21And for tropical rainforests living collection in Banun Perak is doing in-situ conservation, which is to save all of these rare, and collect all of these rare species for future restoration as well.
02:34So, we are also doing tree planting in the 500 hectares that we are in partnership and also collaboration with the Perak Forestry Department.
02:45In Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre and also the Elmina Living Collection Nursery, we are in partnership with the Sam Dhabi Property to do the urban restoration or urban rewilding.
02:57At TRCRC's nurseries, forest-like conditions are recreated to help seedlings grow and adapt before being planted in the wild.
03:08So, because of this, we further decrease the shading of the planting in the nursery.
03:15So, from 90% in the germination bed to growing area A, which is 70%, growing area B, 50%, and hardening area is the open space to make it adapt with the existing site condition of the area that we are going to plant in the future.
03:29TRCRC Restoration Executive Amirul Mukminin says tree planting usually takes place during the monsoon season to ensure higher survival rates.
03:44After two weeks, the team returns to collect growth data measuring height, root diameter, and crown width.
03:51TRCRC also empowers Orang Asli communities through training and sustainable income opportunities.
03:58We provide training for the Orang Asli where they sometimes, after they work here, they come back to their village and establish their own nursery for the future restoration.
04:09So, sometimes we buy from them and also it gives what we call economic support for the community Orang Asli with the sustainable way.
04:19Since 2012, TRCRC has nurtured more than 200,000 seedlings and planted 65,420 trees across its sites.
04:31A total of 319 tree species have been rescued including 17 critically endangered, 21 endangered, 39 vulnerable, and 21 near-threatened species under the IUCN Red List.
04:46Among them are the Meranti, Keruwing Gombang, Balau, and Buelian.
04:57There is quite obvious changes I can see in this area.
05:00The first one, wildlife starting coming back to this area.
05:03And there is less wildlife roadkill in this area.
05:08And also the young tree that we plant starting to establish a canopy.
05:12So, the ecosystem structure also coming back.
05:16There is a canopy, understory tree, and also emerging trees coming here.
05:21So, it will generate what we call ecological function back to this area.
05:26Through science, community partnerships, and patience, TRCRC is helping Malaysia's tropical rainforests rise again.
05:35Ensuring that the nation's gentle giants continue to stand tall for generations to come.
05:40To come.
05:41To come!
05:43To come!
05:44To come!
05:50To come!
05:54To come!
06:03You
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