25 June 2015 (Thursday) – Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) has signed an agreement with Yayasan Kemanusiaan Muslim Aid Malaysia (YKMAM) earlier this month to conduct research for the rehabilitation of degraded peat swamp at Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve (North) in Johor.

The signing ceremony was held on 5 June at the Shorea Meeting Room at FRIM, with the FRIM Director General (DG), Dato’ Dr Abd Latif Mohmod signing on behalf of the Malaysian Forestry Research and Development Board (MFRDB) whilst the foundation was represented by its Chairperson, Habsah Marjuni. Also present as witnesses were FRIM Forestry and Environment Director, Dr Ismail Harun and YKMAM Vice Chairman, Wan Rusli Wan Muda.

The agreement on “WATER FOR LIFE 2014-2015” project aims to strengthen the peat swamp forest research conducted by FRIM and help the Johor State Forestry Department in enhancing the state park management.

For this initial phase of the project, FRIM researchers have conducted assessments of the degraded peat swamp at Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve (North) since January to obtain the baseline information and data on the water level, water quality and soil of the peat swamp forest. Based on the preliminary findings, YKMAM and FRIM will jointly prepare a second proposal for a long-term project, with more comprehensive research activities to be carried out, for the rehabilitation purposes.