Banun, Perak
/Tropical Rainforest Living Collection/

Raising thousands of seedlings requires the careful maintenance and care for them over many years. Here members of the G-team Perak are weeding seedlings in TRLC Banun.

Tropical Rainforest Living Collection

Many tropical plant species in Malaysia face an elevated risk of extinction due to logging, forest fragmentation and land use change. Malaysia’s Plant Red List for the Peninsular Malaysian Dipterocarps states that over half of the dipterocarp species have a threatened category nationwide i.e. they are Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable.

TRCRC has established conservation sites, known as Tropical Rainforest Living Collections (TRLCs), to safeguard these tropical plant species. At TRLCs, seeds from threatened plants are collected, germinated and planted on our established sites to produce seeds and planting material for restoration projects.

Send us a message below or contact ask@trcrc.org.

The Process

On-going TRLCs

TRLC
Merisuli, Sabah

Established through collaboration with Sabah Forestry Department, this site covers an area of 224 hectares located within the Ulu Segama-Malua Sustainable Forest Management Project.

Overview

TRLC Merisuli was established in 2012 and comprises of 224 hectares of secondary forest. At this site, the collection of seeds outside protected areas will be prioritised with the aim of safeguarding threatened species. These seedlings are used to restore and rehabilitate forests in the project area.

As part of the Ulu Segama-Malua Sustainable Forest Management Project, this site is certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and is committed to comply with FSC Principles and Criteria.

With support from Sabah Forestry Department, TRCRC has created a 10-Year Forest Management Plan for this project site, which includes actionable measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of this project. Future endeavours include an education centre and a regular volunteering program.

An experience like to other - camping out under the bright starry sky in TRLC Merisuli
An experience like to other - camping out under the bright starry sky in TRLC Merisuli
Rows of seedlings meticulously arranged in the TRLC Merisuli nursery. At this stage, the seedlings are watered about 3 times a day to ensure their optimum growth.
Rows of seedlings meticulously arranged in the TRLC Merisuli nursery. At this stage, the seedlings are watered about 3 times a day to ensure their optimum growth.
The Merisuli team out on a tree tagging survey, where they locate potential parent trees and record its location, and note the possibilities of the next fruiting.
The Merisuli team out on a tree tagging survey, where they locate potential parent trees and record its location, and note the possibilities of the next fruiting.
The women of TRLC Merisuli pruning the leaves of nurtured saplings to reduce the rate of evapotranspiration.
The women of TRLC Merisuli pruning the leaves of nurtured saplings to reduce the rate of evapotranspiration.
TRCRC team and Dr. Reza Azmi from Wild Asia enjoying a scenic view from the campsite they have set up in TRLC Merisuli.
TRCRC team and Dr. Reza Azmi from Wild Asia enjoying a scenic view from the campsite they have set up in TRLC Merisuli.
TRCRC team observing a spectacular view of the night sky in TRLC Merisuli.
TRCRC team observing a spectacular view of the night sky in TRLC Merisuli.
An experience like to other - camping out under the bright starry sky in TRLC Merisuli.
An experience like to other - camping out under the bright starry sky in TRLC Merisuli.

TRLC
Banun, Perak

This 500-hectare site is located within the Amanjaya Forest Reserve and is supported by Perak Forestry Department.

Overview

TRLC Banun, established in 2013, is a 500 hectare site located in Gerik, Perak and is part of the Amanjaya Forest Reserve. This site is divided by the Gerik-Jeli highway and the primary focus of this site is to hold an in-situ collection of rare and endangered trees which are restricted to Peninsular Malaysia. The site will secondarily work to advance Malaysia’s Central Forest Spine initiative, which aims to reconnect fragmented forests across Peninsular Malaysia. By securing connectivity between forest fragments, a route for wildlife crossings will be provided.

RCRC operates TRLC Banun with support from Perak Forestry Department over a 60 year lease agreement of the 500 hectare project site area.

TRCRC is also collaborating with Perak State Parks Corporation to develop a seedling development programme within the Jahai community in Royal Belum, Perak. As the Jahai people are indigenous to Royal Belum, empowering them with the technical knowledge of forest management will further enhance our core mission to conserve Malaysia's tropical rainforests. TRLC Banun will develop capacity building by teaching the communities to identify key plant species, collect the seeds and germinate them in communal nurseries. The planting stock created by the communities will then undergo a sustainable finance model whereby they are able to sell the matured saplings to support northern Perak's restoration works.

Dzaeman explaining to the Yayasan Hasanah's board of trustees on the mechanics of seed germination in TRLC Banun.
Dzaeman explaining to the Yayasan Hasanah's board of trustees on the mechanics of seed germination in TRLC Banun.
G-Team meticulously keeps the man-made stove running by feeding it with dry wood in Perak.
G-Team meticulously keeps the man-made stove running by feeding it with dry wood in Perak.
Wildings collected from the Amanjaya Forest Reserve. They will be germinated in TRLC Banun until they reach a mature planting age.
Wildings collected from the Amanjaya Forest Reserve. They will be germinated in TRLC Banun until they reach a mature planting age.
The starry night sky casts its shadow on a sandy riverbank in Perak.
The starry night sky casts its shadow on a sandy riverbank in Perak.
‘Yayasan Hasanah’s board of trustees (Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar and Caroline Christine Russell) discussing with our chairman, Tun Jeanne Abdullah on enhancing conservation potential of TRLC Banun.
‘Yayasan Hasanah’s board of trustees (Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar and Caroline Christine Russell) discussing with our chairman, Tun Jeanne Abdullah on enhancing conservation potential of TRLC Banun.
TRLC Banun. Aliff inspecting a wilding during a seed collection expedition in the Amanjaya Forest Reserve.
TRLC Banun. Aliff inspecting a wilding during a seed collection expedition in the Amanjaya Forest Reserve.
TRLC Banun. Suhaili and the G-Team taking a breather after a full day's work of clearing invasive plant species to prepare the site for tree planting in Batu Gangan, Pahang.
TRLC Banun. Suhaili and the G-Team taking a breather after a full day's work of clearing invasive plant species to prepare the site for tree planting in Batu Gangan, Pahang.
TRCRC-operates-TRLC-Banun-with-support-from-Perak-Forestry-Department-over-a-60-year-lease-agreement-of-the-500-hectare-project-site-area