Green Our Earth Save Our Future Generations at Tmn Kledang Permai organised by Lions Club of Perak Silver State

In conjunction with World Earth Day 2024, Lions Club of Perak Silver State once again led a group of NGOs and Corporate Company in taking part to carry out climate action programmes on 21st April 2024 starting at 8.30am at Taman Kledang Permai Padang (opposite Loyal Academy).

Nine other NGOs and Organisations are joining in to carry out climate action programmes which include Tree Planting, Environment Talk, Eco-bricks making and managing trees already planted. Among the participating NGO and Companies include; Lions Club of Ipoh Centennial, Lions Club of Bukit Mertajam Horizon, Pantai Hospital Ipoh, Koperasi Alam Hijau Perak Berhad, Ipoh City Watch, Pertubuhan Komuniti Kepolisan Bukit Merah, Loyal Academy and Pertubuhan Rakan Komunti Pendidikan Perak.

Earth Day is an international day devoted to our planet. It draws attention to the environment and promotes conservation and sustainability.

Each year on 22 April, around 1 billion people around the world take action to raise awareness of the climate crisis and bring about behavioural change to protect the environment.

Participation in Earth Day can take many forms, including small home or classroom projects like planting a herb garden or picking up litter. People also volunteer to plant trees, join other ecological initiatives or take part in street protests about climate change and environmental degradation.

Official Earth Day campaigns and projects aim to increase environmental literacy and bring together like-minded people or groups to address issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss and other challenges.

The global theme for this year's Earth Day is 'Planet vs. Plastics', which recognizes the threat plastics pose to human health and with campaigners demanding a 60% reduction in the production of plastics by 2040.

Among the highlights of our event include:
a. Planting 16 trees comprise of Ficus Elastica, Bucida, Eugenia and Tecoma
b. Tree Tagging
c. Tree Maintenance
d. Environment Talk
e. Education and Awareness
f. Eco-bricks making
g. Environment Quiz

YDH Toh Seri Bijaya Dato' Shaharudin Bin Hj Nazari, Orang Besar Jajahan Manjung has consented to grace the occassion. 

The location map of the tree planting venue is as show below:

Sixteen Trees will be planted comprised of 6 Ficus Elastica, 6 Bucida, 2 Tecoma and 2 Eugenia with Serial number starting from LCPSS-WED-120-04-24 to LCPSS-WED-135-04-24.

Some of the Tree Tagging with OR code for the public to scan and obtain information about the trees planted, who planted, when planted and its carbon sequestration.

 Details of the programme:

60 Volunteers turned up for the programme as early as 8.30am located next to The Loyal Academy in Taman Kledang Permai, Falim, Ipoh. They are from Lions Club of Perak Silver State, Lions Club of Ipoh Centennial and Lions Club of Bukit Mertajam Horizon.

Others include Pantai Hospital Ipoh, Persatuan Keselamatan Komuniti Bukit Merah, Maahad Tafiz Sg. Kati and SK Panglima Bukit Gantang. The programme was graced by YDH Toh Seri Bijaya Lt. Kol (B) Dato' Shaharudin Bin Hj Nazari, OBJ Manjung.

16 trees were planted comprised of Bucida, Eugenie, Ficus Elastica and Tecome. After the tree planting session, participants attended an Climate Action Talk by Dr. Richard Ng, President of the Lions Club of Perak Silver State. All participants received a certificate of appreciation presented by Dato' Shaharuddin.

1. Ficus Elastica:

According to Wikipedia, Ficus elastica, the rubber fig, rubber bush, rubber tree, rubber plant, or Indian rubber bush, Indian rubber tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Moraceae, native to eastern parts of South and Southeast Asia. It has become naturalized in Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and the US state of Florida. Despite its common names, it is not used in the commercial production of natural rubber.

It is a large tree in the banyan group of figs, growing to 30–40 m (100–130 ft) – rarely up to 60 m or 195 ft – tall, with a stout trunk up to 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in diameter. The trunk develops aerial and buttressing roots to anchor it in the soil and help support heavy branches.

It has broad shiny oval leaves 10–35 cm (4–14 in) long and 5–15 cm (2–6 in) broad; leaf size is largest on young plants (occasionally to 45 cm or 17+1⁄2 in long), much smaller on old trees (typically 10 cm or 4 in long). The leaves develop inside a sheath at the apical meristem, which grows larger as the new leaf develops. When it is mature, it unfurls and the sheath drops off the plant. Inside the new leaf, another immature leaf is waiting to develop.

2. Bucida:

A fast-growing tree that reaches between 10-20 m in height and spread to about 10-15 m wide. Its crown is layered in symmetrical tiers. The simple, unifoliate and variegated leaves are whorled along the stem. Leaves are small, measuring 2-5 cm long and 1 cm wide.
It is mottled grey-green with irregular creamy-white border, young leaves pinkish-red, margins uneven to crenate, produced in whorls at branch tips.

The twigs grow densely in storeys on whorls around the woody trunk.
Its bark is smooth, mottled pale grey, with protruding brownish streaks or spots.
Its deep anchoring roots make it able to endure high winds with little damage. Big matured tree fetch a really good price (RM>1k) in the market

3. Tecoma:

Tecoma is a genus of 14 species of shrubs or small trees in the trumpet vine family, Bignoniaceae originated from South America. It is also known as Trumpetbush and always being compared with Sakura trees in Japan. It blooms normally between February and April each year.

The tecoma trees will grow to maximum height of 25m with carbon sequestration of approximately 7,000 kg. 

Four interesting facts about 'Sakura Look-alike' Tecoma Trees that we see in Malaysia (See the following link):

https://hello.tourplus.my/festive-seasons/4-interesting-facts-about-the-sakura-look-alike-tecoma-trees-that-we-see-in-malaysia/

 4. Eugenia:

Common Name: Eugenia oleina
Botanical Name: Syzygium myrtifolium
Full Grown Height: 6  m
Spacing: 2-5 m

Save Earth, Save Our Home at SJKC Yuk Choy, Ipoh

 18 Aug 2022

This afternoon at 2.30pm, 130 teachers from SJKC Yuk Choy Ipoh and SJKC Chung Tack Simee will be a attending a talk on Sustainable Environment. It was jointly organised by Lions Club of Velcity, Lions Club of Perak Silver State and Lions Club of Ipoh Central in collaboration with the two schools.

The talk will be conducted by Ipoh City Councillor, Dr. Richard Ng, an Environmentalist cum the President of Lions Club of Perak Silver State.

Teachers will be briefed on Climate Change and how we could reduce its impact. They will be given knowledge on what might happen in 2050 if nothing is done today under the theme "Save Earth, Save Our Home".

They will also be taught on how to make eco-bricks to stop plastic pollution. A Eugenia tree will be planted at the school compound and eco-bricks will be placed around the tree planted.

About Eugenia Tree:

Common Name: Eugenia oleina
Botanical Name: Syzygium myrtifolium
Full Grown Height: 6  m
Spacing: 2-5 m

Plant Trees Save Our Future Generations Tree Tagging Project at Taman Pakatan Jaya, Ipoh

10 Oct 2021

The Ipoh City Councillor (MBI) has planted 88 trees as part of the 1,500 pledged for 2021 at Taman Pakatan Jaya in Ipoh. This is part of the Perak Bumi Lestari Project which aims to plant 1 million trees by 2030. It is also in line with MBI’s Low Carbon City 2030 mission.

Three organisations, the Lions Club of Perak Silver State, Lions Club of Hillview Cameron Highlands and The Loyal Academy Sdn. Bhd. have teamed up to carry out tree tagging with Laminated QR Code on all the 88 trees in order to create awareness and educate the public on the importance of planting trees as well as to provide information about the trees planted and its carbon dioxide sequestration ability.

By scanning the QR code, the public will the be linked to a website containing the information about the trees planted.

Two major types of trees planted here include; the tembusu or Fragraea fragrans and the Bunga Tanjung or Mimusops elengi.

The tembusu or Fragraea fragrans can grow up to 25m tall. The wood can last over a hundred years, particularly as termites and beetles do not eat this kind of wood. The tree yields a high quality timber and an excellent fuel and charcoal. It is planted in reforestation and soil stabilization programmes and is also often planted as an ornamental and shade tree in parks and along roads.

The Bunga Tanjung or Mimusops elengi has other common names which include Spanish cherry, medlar, and bullet wood. Its timber is valuable, the fruit is edible, and it is used in traditional medicine. As the trees give thick shade and flowers emit fragrance, it is a prized collection of gardens. The tree can grow up to 16m with 1m circumference.

According to Dr. Richard Ng, Organising Chairman of the project who is also MBI’s Councillor, the trees are planted on the road reserved land, to provide shades and greenery to the surrounding areas. When matured within 5 to 10 years, each tree weighing 1,000 kg will be able to absorb about 3,670 kg CO2 a year. This means that these 88 trees will be able to absorb about 322,960 kg of CO2 a year and produce 120,000 kg of O2.

The temperature in this area will be much lower. The environment will be much greener with more oxygen produced making those people from about 1,000 households living here become healthier. Of course the price of the property will also increase as a result.

Thus, we hope that the people will appreciate what MBI is doing. They should help protect the trees here rather than destroying and replacing them with mango and rambutan trees.

The trees were planted along Laluan Hulu Bercham 1 as shown below:

 

These trees form part of the Perak Lestari 1,000,000 million trees programme and also the MBI Low Carbon City projects to save our planet Earth. Trees help to absorb carbon emission and lower earth temperature. Effort must be made to reduce the earth temperature to not more than 2 degrees Celcius.

The impact of global warming is real and climate change is already happening now. By 2050 if nothing is done, climate change will cause disaster worse than thee covid-19 pandemic now.

Each tree will be tied with a tag which contain information about the tree planted and when it was planted by MBI.

Two variety of trees were planted here. According to MBI Town and Landscape Department, the two types of trees are:

1. The tembusu or Fragraea fragrans

2. The Bunga Tanjung or Mimusops elengi

The tagging of trees come in the form of Lamintaed Card with QR code linking to this website.

1. The tembusu or Fragraea fragrans Tree

The tembusu is a large evergreen tree in the family Gentianaceae, native to Southeast Asia (from Indo-China to New Guinea). It is the Malay name for Cyrtophyllum fragrans (synonym Fagraea fragrans).

Its trunk is dark brown, with deeply fissured bark, looking somewhat like a bittergourd. The tree grows in an irregular shape from 10 to 25 metres high, with light green oval-shaped leaves, and yellowish flowers with a distinct fragrance. The fruits of the tree are bitter tasting red berries, which are eaten by Pteropus fruit bats.

The trunk of this tree can produce very hard wood that can be used to make chopping boards.

The wood can last over a hundred years, particularly as termites and weevils do not eat this kind of wood. People always use this wood for creating the floors of their homes and love to sleep on it.

The tree yields a high quality timber and an excellent fuel and charcoal. It is planted in reforestation and soil stabilization programmes and is also often planted as an ornamental and shade tree in parks and along roads.

For details: Fragraea Fragrans

2. The Bunga Tanjung or Mimusops elengi

Mimusops elengi is a medium-sized evergreen tree found in tropical forests in South Asia, Southeast Asia and northern Australia. English common names include Spanish cherry, medlar, and bullet wood. Its timber is valuable, the fruit is edible, and it is used in traditional medicine. As the trees give thick shade and flowers emit fragrance, it is a prized collection of gardens.

Its flower is the provincial flower of Yala Province, Thailand, as well as the city flower of Ampang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Bullet wood is an evergreen tree reaching a height of about 16 m (52 ft). It flowers in April, and fruiting occurs between June and October. The leaves are glossy, dark green, oval-shaped, 5–14 cm (2.0–5.5 in) long, and 2.5–6 cm (0.98–2.36 in) wide. The flowers are cream, hairy, and scented. The fruits are fleshy, range in color between yellow and brown, and contain a large brown seed. The pulp has a yellow color and it is edible. The bark of the tree is thick and appears dark brownish black or grayish black in colour, with striations and a few cracks on the surface. The tree may reach up to a height of 9–18 m (30–59 ft) with about 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in circumference.

For details: Mimusops elengi