Wangari Maathai Launches ISB Million Trees Project

Wangari Maathai 2004 Nobel Peace Laureate and founder of the Green Belt Movement officially launched the ISB Million Trees Project at the Empire Theatre, Brunei on March 3rd 2007.
Representing the Minister of Development as Guest of Honour was Deputy Minister Dato Paduka Hj Mat Suny Hj Mohd Hussein.

Over four hundred guests from the diplomatic, public sector and commercial communities attended the event which was used to raise awareness of environmental issues and to act as a starting point for encouraging involvement in self sustainable practices.

Special guest Prof David Bellamy, renowned conservation activist and TV personality, not only spoke of the threats to the planet but also of the ‘green renaissance’ the desire to repair the planet. He mentioned that the World Bank had actually put a stock market value on forest saying that “ one hectare of deforested land put over to the wrong kind of cultivation is worth between U$100 to US$300 pa………….but left to service the biosphere it is worth between US$600 and US$1500 p.a. ……..”

Prof David Bellamy – world renowned conservation activist and TV personality – “doesn’t it make ecological, economic and every sort of sense to plant our Million Trees and conserve the natural forests across the world”

Prof Wangari Maathai in her keynote address spoke of why the Nobel Peace Prize Committee had made an award to the environment stating that many conflicts in the world today were about competing for ever diminishing resources.
“Natural resources and especially forests are extremely important for our survival ….because of the many services they give us. The Congo, the Amazon and the Heart of Borneo are the three lungs of the planet and without them we cannot survive.”

This invitation event also served as a fund raiser for the project netting a little over B$4000. These funds will be used directly for tree planting projects in Brunei and Borneo. ISB hopes to plant/conserve a million trees in the region within the next ten years.

Dato’ Dr Mike Kavanagh WWF special advisor to the Heart of Borneo Project gave guests an outline of this three nation conservation initiative and commended Brunei’s Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources for their commitment to the project.

ISB is supporting the Heart of Borneo Initiative by targeting tree planting and conservation programmes within the area designated as HOB.

Guests were also treated to a programme of entertainment which included indigenous cultural dances, ISB student orchestra and choir together with a special appearance from William Barton, the world’s foremost didgeridoo player.

At the end of the evening a cheque for RM18000 was presented by the guest of honour to Mr Sahdin Lias, Chief executive of Red Ape Encounters for the reforestation of one hectare of rainforest in the threatened Kinabatangan Basin of Sabah. This money had been raised by ISB through its on-going recycling programme.