SABAK BERNAM, 27 August 2025 – Intercontinental Specialty Fats Sdn. Bhd. (ISF), in partnership with Global Environment Centre (GEC), successfully completed Phase 1 of Mangrove Rehabilitation Project in Tebuk Mendeleng, Sabak Bernam, Selangor, while officially launching Phase 2 of this transformative environmental initiative that demonstrates how restoring mangrove ecosystems benefits both the environment and local communities.
The three-year Phase 1 project (April 2022 – May 2025) engaged local friends of mangrove community group Sahabat Hutan Bakau Kampung Dato’ Hormat (SHBKDH) as well as local authorities. More than 450 participants through eight planting events successfully planted 8,500 mangroves trees across four hectares of degraded coastal areas. The planted trees achieved an impressive survival rate of more than 85% and sequestered more than 36 tonnes of carbon dioxide, contributing to Malaysia’s carbon neutrality goals by 2050.
Mr. Toshio Fujimori, Chief Executive Officer of ISF said, “We believe that environmental stewardship and community empowerment are inseparable. The remarkable success of our Tebuk Mendeleng project demonstrates that when corporations invest authentically in community-led conservation, we can achieve outcomes that exceed our environmental targets while creating lasting economic opportunities for local families.”
The project’s community-centred approach generated tangible socio-economic benefits, with SHBKDH members earning income through mangrove seedling production, site monitoring, and sustainable harvesting of Nipah fruits and Berembang fruits for local product development. Over 9,000 mangrove seedlings were cultivated in community-managed nurseries, with women comprising 40% of participants and assuming leadership roles.
Mr. Faizal Parish, Director of GEC said, “The ISF Mangrove Rehabilitation Project represents a paradigm shift in how we approach ecosystem restoration. By placing local communities at the centre of conservation efforts, we have created sustainable income streams for local participants. This project proves that the most effective path to meeting global biodiversity targets like the Kunming-Montreal Framework’s goal for 30% of degraded ecosystems being under restoration by 2030 is through approaches that make environmental conservation economically attractive to the communities who depend on these ecosystems. When conservation pays, it works.”
Mr. Muhammad Omar Bin Muslim, Chairman of SHBKDH said “This project has transformed our relationship with the environment. We have gained valuable technical skills in mangrove management while securing sustainable income sources that don’t depend on depleting natural resources. Our children now see environmental conservation as an opportunity rather than a constraint, and women in our community have taken on leadership roles in conservation efforts.”
GEC’s recent biodiversity assessments revealed exceptional ecological recovery at the project sites within just four years, confirming successful ecosystem restoration and demonstrating the project’s contribution to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s Target 2, which aims to initiate restoration of 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030:
- Two firefly species were discovered: Pteroptyx valida in the restored mangrove area and Pyrocoelia sp. in both the restored area and nearby landscapes. The presence of Pteroptyx valida demonstrates that the restored habitat can support specialised mangrove species.
- Indicator species returned: This includes mud crabs and various bird species.
- Natural regeneration of native species was recorded: This includes Sonneratia caseolaris, Nypa fruticans and Bruguiera sp.
Building on Phase 1’s success, ISF launched Phase 2, which will rehabilitate an additional two hectares of degraded mangrove area with 4,000 additional trees and continued community participation. The initiative has created a diversified local economy around mangrove restoration, benefiting the SHBKDH community members and their families through activities beyond traditional fishing.
The project directly supports multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including No Poverty, Gender Equality, Climate Action, Life Below Water, and Life on Land, while aligning with Malaysia’s National Greening Programme.
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