Sungai Limau is located in Southern Manjung, Perak. The degradation of mangrove at South Manjung along the coastal zone has had a significant negative impact on the community livelihood, including the growth of natural mangrove forest regeneration, reduction in marine products and coastal erosion. 

This project is developed to rehabilitate the degraded mangrove areas and to restore and conserve a healthy mangrove ecosystem in Sungai Limau through community engagement. Participation from the local communities aims to empower ownership and raise awareness of locals and stakeholders on the importance of mangroves for its environmental resources and values. 

Funder: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), TNB JanaManjung

Partners: Perak State Forestry Department, Manjung District Council, Manjung District and Land Office, Sahabat Hutan Bakau Kuala Gula (SHBKG), Sahabat Hutan Bakau Lekir Sitiawan (SHBLS) and Sungai Limau Community

Phase 1 (2019 - 2020) 

Aim/objective:

• To rehabilitate and maintenance of 10,600 mangrove trees at the degraded mangrove area in Sungai Limau, Lekir Manjung in order to mitigate impact related to mangrove ecosystem.
• To demonstrate the important role of TNB and local community involvement in order to encourage volunteerism by joining the mangrove rehabilitation and protection programme in Sungai Limau, Lekir.

Project Achievement:

The project successfully implemented mangrove rehabilitation initiatives in Sungai Limau that has been suffering from degradation and dryness. The initiatives conducted include:

• SHBKG excavated 150 m tidal channel/waterway by hand. It functions to improve hydrological cycle of the area and rewetting the dried site. Improved hydrological cycle helps the growth of planted trees and increase the survival rate.
• Planted 10,600 mangrove trees by stages with the Sungai Limau communities at approximate 4 hectares of degraded mangrove area. GEC and the appointed communities have been monitoring and maintaining the planted trees to ensure the trees’ survival rate. 
• Applied a structured silviculture planting method (deep-hole). We installed netting surrounding each trees planted to improve shades from direct sunlight that may cause the tree quickly withers. It is also used to prevent disturbance from monkeys and other animals.

As a result, the project achieved 77% survival rate with 23% mortality rate for the first planting. However, after replacement planting and further maintenance as well as monitoring, we have achieved 100% survival rate. Aquatic life such as crabs have slowly returned which provides an alternative livelihood for the local communities.

In addition, a small scale community training on mangroves species identification has been conducted on 7th November 2020 at Sungai Limau area. The objective of the training was to introduce, identify and explore the variety of mangrove species in Sungai Limau area to the local communities. 

Phase 2 (2021 - 2022)

The second phase of the programme will be undertaken in 2021 - 2022 to further expand the planted area and address Restoration & Conservation of Mangrove ecosystems in partnership with the local community in Sungai Limau. The tree planting missions will kick-off in February, 2021 in Sungai Limau and Kampung Sungai Tiram, Perak. The goal is to plant 7,000 saplings in Manjung, Perak, over a two-year period ending December 2022.

For more information about the project, please e-mail us at outreach@gec.org.my