KUALA LUMPUR: Property developer Lagenda Properties has carried out rehabilitative initiatives to restore nature at a mangrove riverbank park in Perak.
Its director Mohamad Ali Ariffin said the company teamed up with Persatuan Aktivis Sahabat Alam (Kuasa) and the Changkat Keruing community to undertake the mission at the mangrove forest along the Changkat Keruing Riverbank Park.
"Working together with the local community, we planted 1,000 mangrove trees to counter the damage caused by aquaculture fishing and deforestation over the years.
"Mangrove forests are one of the most productive and biodiverse wetland environments on Earth, producing ten times the oxygen compared to tropical forests.
"Sadly, these unique coastal tropical forest environments are among the most threatened habitats," he said.
Ali said besides providing critical habitats for diverse marine and terrestrial flora and fauna, mangroves also reduce vulnerability to natural disasters and extreme climatic events.
"Mangroves are a natural coastal defence system, especially for communities living around the area.
"To ensure a healthy and thriving ecosystem, Lagenda has invested in planting Rhizophora apiculata and Bruguiera cylindrica at the Sungai Keruing mangrove forest, two species that are local to the area and known to be a good source of natural antioxidants for medicinal uses.
"The value of mangrove forests in providing economic, social and environmental benefits to locals is extremely important."
He said as a company that greatly prioritised sustainability and communities, Lagenda wanted to play its part in ensuring afforestation efforts were under way.
"We believe that volunteering in environmental conservation is a powerful way to become part of the solution, as protecting our natural environment is key to the survival of fragile ecosystems, wildlife and humankind."
In line with the company's 100 Million Tree-Planting 2021-2025 campaign, Ali said Lagenda was doing its part to ensure the success of the "Greening Malaysia" agenda.
At the company's Bandar Baru Setia Awan Perdana development in Sitiawan, Perak, Lagenda planted more than 18,000 plants, including Hopea odorata and Agathis borneensis, which are vulnerable and endangered species.
Lagenda Properties managing director Datuk Jimmy Doh said the company's aim was not limited to just improving biodiversity, but also maintaining natural environments that generate healthy and efficient ecosystems within its townships.
"At Lagenda, sustainable development is a way of creating homes and spaces that meet all the needs of our homeowners, while not compromising on the environment and the needs of future generations.
"Therefore, we carefully select land that requires minimal intervention of its environmental profile.
"This involves the assessment of long-term land productivity, where Lagenda only permits land conversion from the non-primary forest and unproductive land."
He said Lagenda believed that conserving and improving environmental ecosystems would provide infinite value to society and the country's biodiversity and food resources.
