The project focuses on rehabilitating and restoring degraded ecosystems across four key locations: Raja Musa Forest Reserve (RMFR) and Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve in Selangor, Tebuk Mendeleng Mangroves in Sabak Bernam, Selangor, and the Empangan Jus water reservoir in Melaka.
The project emphasises active community participation through established community-based organisations, including Sahabat Hutan Gambut Selangor Utara (SHGSU), Sahabat Gambut Asli Temuan (SGAT), Sahabat Hutan Bakau Kampung Dato Hormat (SHBKDH) and SMART. These groups maintain local nurseries and lead rehabilitation efforts, creating sustainable livelihood opportunities while protecting vital ecosystems.
Such approach builds on a successful 13-year partnership GEC, HSBC Malaysia and local authorities. By implementing nature-based solutions, the project addresses multiple challenges: ecosystem degradation, carbon sequestration, climate change adaptation, and rural poverty. The initiative supports government conservation efforts while promoting sustainable management practices.
Success metrics include improved biodiversity, enhanced water management, reduced fire incidents and strengthened community engagement in environmental stewardship. The project demonstrates how ecological restoration can create both environmental and socio-economic benefits for local communities.
Duration
April 2024 – April 2025
Objectives
- To rehabilitate 6 hectares (3,600 trees) of degraded peatland area in Raja Musa Forest Reserve and Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve.
- To rehabilitate 3 hectares (6,000 trees) of degraded mangrove ecosystem in Tebuk Mendeleng, Sabak Bernam.
- To rehabilitate 4 hectares (2,400 trees) of encroached water reservoir ecosystem in Empangan Jus, Melaka.
Key Activities
- Engagement with multi-stakeholders, site assessment and tree planting activities to:
- Rehabilitate forests in North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest and Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve, Selangor;
- Rehabilitate mangrove in Tebuk Mendeleng, Kampung Dato Hormat, Sabak Bernam, Selangor; and
- Restore encroached Water Reservoir Site at Empangan Jus, Jasin, Melaka.
Additional core activities:
- Community nursery management and maintenance;
- Regular monitoring and post-planting care;
- Training and capacity building for local communities; and
- Documentation and sharing of best practices.
Achievement
12,000 trees were successfully planted across three ecosystems.
Building on the remarkable success of the 2024 Phase 1 project, Phase 2 is continued with aim to plant 11,000 trees across degraded mangrove areas in Selangor and encroached water reservoir sites in Melaka through nature-based solutions that enhance climate resilience and biodiversity conservation.
The project addresses critical environmental challenges while delivering multiple co-benefits: enhanced coastal protection through mangrove restoration, improved water security through reservoir rehabilitation, carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihood creation for local communities.
It marks GEC’s 14-year partnership with HSBC Bank Malaysia in projects that demonstrates scalable nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation while empowering local communities through sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Duration
June 2025 – June 2026
Key Activities
Activity 1: Mangrove Rehabilitation in Tebuk Mendeleng, Kampung Dato Hormat, Sabak Bernam, Selangor
- Engage community groups, stakeholders, and government agencies through targeted consultation.
- Conduct comprehensive site visits and assessment of degraded mangrove areas (3 hectares target).
- Plant 6,000 mangrove trees using Ecological Mangrove Rehabilitation (EMR) methods.
- Organise 2-3 HSBC volunteer events for hands-on mangrove tree planting activities.
- Strengthen SHBKDH community nursery capacity.
Activity 2: Restoration of Encroached Water Reservoir Site at Empangan Jus, Jasin, Melaka
- Collaborate with BKSA and local authorities to address illegal encroachment issues.
- Conduct site assessment and demarcation of restoration areas (10 hectares target).
- Plant 5,000 indigenous forest trees to restore water catchment ecosystem.
- Implement erosion control and water quality improvement measures.
- Support SMART community nursery operations.
Achievements:
- SHBKDH successfully planted 1,000 mangrove trees at Tebuk Mendeleng, achieving an impressive 85% survival rate.
- SMART successfully planted 4,500 forest trees at Jus Dam, achieving high survival rate of 93%.
- Restored 10 hectares of degraded ecosystems through active community participation.
- Created 25 part-time green jobs for the local community members.
Building on the success and lessons learnt from Phase 1 and Phase 2 (2024-2025), the third phase continues and scales up activities across three strategic locations in Selangor and Melaka.
The phase focuses on strengthening the restoration and conservation goals to ensure ongoing sustainability and resilience of targeted ecosystems:
- Degraded mangroves at Tebuk Mendeleng in Sabak Bernam, Selangor;
- Water reservoir catchment at Jus Dam in Jasin, Melaka; and
- Indigenous agroforestry systems at Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Cheeding in Kuala Langat, Selangor.
Through community-based planting and post-planting monitoring activities, the project supports community livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, emission reduction and carbon sequestration, which enhance climate resilience of all three communities. Seedlings production through community nurseries and ecotourism initiatives further provide additional income opportunities for the local communities.
Duration
June 2026 – June 2027
Objectives:
To empower community-led nature conservation and ecosystem rehabilitation across diverse ecosystems through employing Nature-based Solutions and Environment & Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) principles to address climate change adaptation.
Immediate Objectives:
- To rehabilitate three hectares (planting of 6,000 trees, 3ha) of degraded mangrove ecosystem in Tebuk Mendeleng, Sabak Bernam.
- To rehabilitate 10 hectares (planting of 5,000 trees, 10ha) of encroached water reservoir ecosystem in Jus Dam, Jasin, Melaka.
- To establish one hectare (planting of 500 native fruit trees, 1 ha) of indigenous agroforestry system at Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Cheeding, Kuala Langat, Selangor.
- To strengthen capacity of three community-based organisations (SHBKDH, SMART, SGAT) in project management, financial sustainability and ecosystem monitoring.
Key Activities:
Activity 1: Mangrove rehabilitation in Tebuk Mendeleng, Kampung Dato Hormat, Sabak Bernam, Selangor
- Engagement with community groups, stakeholders and government agencies.
- Conduct site visits, proposed planting sites assessment (identify potential and demarcate the planting sites).
- Planting of mangrove trees in degraded area for rehabilitation and promote natural regeneration.
- Organise two to three HSBC volunteer events for mangrove tree planting activities.
Activity 2: Restoration of degraded water reservoir catchment at Jus Dam, Jasin, Melaka
- Engagement with community groups, stakeholders, government agencies.
- Conduct site visits, proposed planting sites assessment (identify potential and demarcate the planting sites).
- Carrying out forest tree planting activity at Jus Dam and 24 months of maintenance.
Activity 3: Indigenous agroforestry development at Kampung Orang Asli Pulau Kempas, Kuala Langat, Selangor
- Engagement with indigenous community, stakeholders, government agencies (SGAT and JAKOA).
- Conduct site visits, proposed planting sites assessment (identify potential and demarcate the planting sites).
- Native fruit tree planting and agroforestry system establishment.
- Capacity building for SGAT in nursery management, agroforestry techniques, and green enterprise development.
