Safeguarding the Central Forest Spine: Trees for the Future
Trees for the Future is a multimedia project pitched during an Open Call for forest restoration stories in 4Q2020. The Rainforest Journalism Fund, in partnership with the Pulitzer Center, supports this initiative.
The Urgent Need for Forest Restoration
Peninsular Malaysia once thrived with dense rainforests. However, between 1954 and 2000, 3.5 million hectares disappeared due to agriculture, infrastructure, logging, and mining.
To combat deforestation, the Federal Government launched the Central Forest Spine (CFS) Masterplan. This plan aims to reconnect four large forest complexes through ecological linkages, offering hope for the Malayan tiger, Asian elephant, and hornbills.
Despite ongoing efforts, major forest complexes and linkages continue to shrink—or vanish entirely.
Restoring Forests with Nature’s Help
The Trees for the Future project highlights individuals restoring rainforests using hornbills and seed collectors. These unsung heroes include:
– Orang Asli communities, who have lived in these 130-million-year-old forests for generations. They assist the Malaysian Nature Society in identifying key trees.
– Landowners, who search for rare and endangered rainforest seeds to grow in their backyards.
Their work provides a glimmer of hope for Malaysia’s forests.
Investigating Key Questions
Grantee Leong Hon Yuen will produce feature articles for StarLifestyle and short films exploring critical questions:
– How do hornbill nests and bird droppings aid forest restoration?
– Where do people find 100 million seeds?
– Can afforestation support biodiversity?
Meanwhile, Orang Asli collaborators Roslan Carang, Azam Carang, Marisan Pandak, Dedi Roslan, Noordin Asu, and Mustapa Ramlee will document why they fiercely protect hornbills in their rainforests through photo essays.
This project sheds light on forest conservation, Indigenous knowledge, and biodiversity restoration—ensuring Malaysia’s forests have a future.