Planting tsunami shields

2010/10/31
By Veena Babulal
streets@nstp.com.my
BAGAN LALANG: More than Some 20 Motorola employees rolled up their sleeves and got their hands dirty to give the mangrove forest of Sepang a fighting chance against strong tidal waves and floods.
The employees planted 150 Rhizophora mucronata (bakau kurap) saplings at the Sg Sepang Kechil river bank. of the brown and widened Sg Sepang Kechil.
The trees, bakau kurap saplings which have a network of stilt or harsh roots, is are the second layer or barricade of mangrove trees species which shield the Sepang coastline against heavy strong sea currents.
There are four layers barricades of mangrove trees here including the infantry-like Avicennia (pokok api-api) and Sonneratia trees (pokok perepat) which have respiritory roots.
These heavyweight sentinels also mainly make up the third layer barricade of the forest.
The final level of defence is the Bruguiera (pokok lenggadai) buttress roots and knee roots which reduces cushion the impact of waves and winds by up to 90 per cent.
Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) volunteer R. Nagarajan, who led the sapling planting team, said that efforts of company’s like companies such as Motorola were are imperative to give the unique mangrove ecosystem of the mangroves a chance to survive human encroachment and the effects of development.
“The widening of the river by the government several years ago has prevented the river from inundating and flooding the nearby villages.
But with heavy soil deposition, the riverbank is hardening.
“The river needed needs more sentinel mangroves to grip it to and cushion soften the impact of storms and tsunamis on the long term,in the long-term,” said the volunteer Nagarajan, who is attached to volunteers for the Sepang Goldcoast Environment Interpretative Centre which is run by the MNS.
He said that mangroves were unique as it exists in inter-tidal areas with brackish water which is (a mixture of freshwater and sea water).
“One ha hectare of mangroves can support 9,000 trees.
“This is why mangroves are the nursery for a rich and diverse ecosystem of marine and coastal plants and animals.
“Malaysia is especially blessed because we have sandy coasts on the East east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and muddy coasts ones on the West west.
“This directly contribute contributes to our rich mangrove species,” heritage,” he added.
Motorola Malaysia Country Manager country manager Mohd Rauf Nasi also said that the sapling planting its mangrove project was part of Motorola’s Global Day of Service.
The project allows employees time off from work to engage in community outreach projects.
The community social responsibility (CSR) project which began in 2006 under the Motorola foundation is expected to engage more than 6,000 employees in 37 countries this year.
“The theme for this year is Green&Global.
“Through this initiative, we hope to cultivate a caring community and empower people to be agents of environmental change and protection,” said Rauf.
He also said that since 2005, the company has reduced carbon its carbon footprint by 35%, while we keep on working towards challenging reduction targets 35 per cent and is working to reduce it even more.
“Motorola believes that sustaining the environment, minimizing minimising harmful impact, and offering green products make good business sense.”
He added that Motorola hoped that they would to lead by example by creating an awareness among Malaysians as well as other companies on the importance of environmental conservation.

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