KUCHING – Students from the Postgraduate Research Society and Green Club of Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus recently planted indigenous seedlings in different parts of the university campus to commemorate Earth Day celebration and help green the environment.
Present to lead the tree planting activity were Swinburne Sarawak’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer Professor John Wilson; Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Malaysia Programme Director Dr Melvin Gumal; and President of the Postgraduate Research Society and event Chairperson Armstrong Omoregie.
Professor Wilson (centre) with members of Swinburne Green Club.
They were joined by Foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate students from various fields of study who were eager to do their bit for the environment and the Swinburne’s Sarawak campus community. They planted 18 more indigenous seedlings contributed by Sarawak Forestry Corporation.
Professor Wilson said such activity encourages students to do their parts in greening the Earth so they and the future generations can continue to enjoy the benefits.
“A tree planting activity on our campus to celebrate Earth Day 2018 is very apt as our planet needs more plants and trees to replenish those that are being removed as populations grow and development increases rapidly,” said Professor Wilson.
In his talk to the students, Dr Gumal, who is also the 2014 Whitley Award Winner for the Conservation of Great Apes, opined that tree planting is an important symbolic gesture because it is the planting of a seed for the future. It also speaks of a belief that we have a future and by planting a tree, we are investing in the future.
“We need this investment and the hope that it carries. Ultimately, we also want our hope to include that of a sustainable future, meaning that humanity is able to live within the resources of this finite world,” remarked Dr Gumal.
The event ended with a light refreshments sponsored by John’s Pie. This year’s Earth Day will be the 48th since the inaugural event in 1970 and carries the theme ‘End Plastic Pollution’.
For more information about Swinburne’s Sarawak campus, visit the university’s website (www.swinburne.edu.my), Facebook page (@swinburnesarawak), Instagram (@swinburnesarawak), Twitter page (@Swinburne_Swk) or YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak).