69 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018/2019 04 S E C T I O N ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP In 2019, BCT organised a study tour with BCT Japan and the Students Group for Borneo Conservation (SGBC). 42 high school students from Japan along with local students from MRSM Sandakan took part in the three-day programme, which aimed to educate students about sustainable oil palm plantations and provide a platform for knowledge-sharing about environmental conservation between the Japanese and Malaysian students. One of the key activities of this project is regular tree planting as a means of restoring and rehabilitating certain areas of the corridor. Since 2014, a total of 10,933 seedlings have been planted under this project. Local tree species such as Bangkal Ais Krim, Simpoh Laki, Sangkuang and Katapang have been planted. The project also hires workers from the local community to help with the clearing and maintenance of tree planting sites, which provides job opportunities and enhances their livelihood. Types of Seedlings Planted Botanical Name Local Name 1 Nauclea subdita Bangkal Ais Krim 2 Dillenia excelsa Simpuh Laki 3 Microcos crossifalio Kerodong Damak-Damak 4 Mallotus muticus Mallotus Paya 5 Telminalia catappe Katapang 6 Syzygium fastigiatum Obah Jangkang 7 Dracantomelon sp Sangkuang 8 Artocarpus integer Cempedak 9 Nephelium lappaceum Rambutan 10 Artocarpus odoratissimus Tarap Another initiative we are currently working on with BCT involves developing a credible carbon assessment guideline to enable local communities to estimate carbon stocks in several forest types and benefit from carbon trading schemes. Managing Human-Wildlife Conflict As an ongoing commitment to ensuring the protection of wildlife around our plantations, we have categorised our plantations as ‘Wildlife Managed Areas’ and have developed a Wildlife Monitoring and Boundary Patrolling guideline to manage the potential for human-wildlife conflict. The guideline is aligned with MSPO and RSPO requirements for certification, which require that rare, threatened and endangered species need to be conserved and protected through a wildlife management plan. The guideline calls for the identification of important wildlife presences in and around plantations, the conservation of important wildlife species, the implementation of an action plan and monitoring programme and creating awareness on important wildlife among surrounding communities. In this respect, we have established five CAGs in the region that are responsible for managing and reporting conflicts with wildlife. Members of these CAGs have been provided with practical field training and knowledge to be able to address wildlife conflict and monitor environmental surroundings. A system has been established to monitor, report and address any environmental or biodiversity issues in their respective regions. These efforts will contribute towards FGV’s aim to better understand issues of humanwildlife conflict and how they can be better managed.
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