Activities undertaken in the period of July – September 2024



3. Maintenance of Fire Prevention Indicator and Firefighting Equipment
On 4 September 2024, two water level markers (WLM) were repaired, and one floating pump from Kg. Cenderawasih was sent for service. The WLMs play a vital role in indicating the water table, the availability of a water source for fire suppression if a fire incident occurs. Meanwhile, the floating pump allows the community to put out small fires in the pineapple farms to stop it spreading. On 23 September 2024, a Fire Danger Rating System (FDRS) signboard was repaired (Figure 4) as it had collapsed due to strong wind. The FDRS signboard shows the Fire Weather Index (FWI) and Fine Fuel Moisture Code (FFMC), which has been monitored by the community patrollers, by changing the colour code daily when they perform duty on site based on the information from MET Malaysia shared by GEC.


Regular aerial monitoring activity was conducted along the YPPH estate boundary and surrounding buffer area, focusing on the burned or smouldering spots in the Recovery Project area, and observe the condition of canal blocks to maintain optimum level of water in the canals. The continuous aerial monitoring has provided valuable insights and actionable reference, ensuring the safety and security of the property, forest reserves, estates and its surrounding areas, especially during the El Nino season. On 3 August, a fire occurred in Pekan-Nenasi Roadside and later spread into abandoned land, approaching the south part of the YPPH Ladang Pekan Timur (LPT) estate (Figure 6). On 9 September, a drone survey was conducted to observe condition of the canal block structure (Figure 7) to ensure the canal block can withhold water during the El Nino period, and prepare for the outcoming monsoon season.

On 2 July 2024, GEC organized a Community Nursery Management Course with 6 participants from Kg Meranti (Figure 8) to improve, refresh and upskill the communities involved in the seedling buyback program associated to GEC – linked to the livelihood component of the YPPH-GEC Recovery Project. The objectives of the program are to empower the community in enhancing knowledge related to nursery management, as well as to increase opportunities for alternative income for the community. The course syllabus mainly included important information such as nursery management, nursery infrastructure, seed or wildling species selection, seed sowing technique, transplanting, seedling monitoring for insect infestation, fungi attack, nutrient deficiency, and pricing. In addition, tips for expanding and enhancing the community nursery were shared to ensure consistent income where the community members can manage their business on their own. After the nursery training, there has been a significant increase in the community’s enthusiasm and a major improvement of their nursery management skills including seedling production. GEC conducts regular inventory of the seedling in the community nurseries where these seedlings will be purchased and planted at the YPPH-GEC Recovery Project area. Overall, the number of seedlings available in stock at all the community nurseries in SEPPL associated with GEC is reaching 5,000 seedlings which includes Shorea sp., Dipterocarpus sp., Hopea sp., Koompassia malaccensis, Cratoxylum sp., Melaleuca leucadendra, Alstonia sp., Fagraea fragrans, Durio carinatus and others.

On 24 September 2024, GEC organised a meeting with YPPH to discuss tree planting activity and confirm the planting in the selected area (Figure 9) within the recovery project area, land preparation for the tree planting, current condition of the planting site, and safety measures which needs to be taken by both YPPH and GEC to ensure the safety of the indigenous people involved in the tree planting activity. Other matters discussed include Stakeholder Tree Planting Event, signboard to be placed at the recovery project area, seedling species, seedling stock in community nurseries, seedling logistic and coordination with manager of YPPH-LSBU as stated in the letter of approval for the tree planting activity.

A series of meetings organised by the SUPA project on the ‘Prosedur Tetap Operasi (PTO) Pelaksanaan Pencegahan Kebakaran Tanah Gambut Pahang bagi mengatasi masalah jerebu di Malaysia’ were attended by GEC. GEC was also invited by SUPA to present on-going rehabilitation work in the SEPPL especially the YPPH-GEC Recovery Project. GEC emphasized the support given by YPPH in terms of funding and support on activities related to fire prevention such as community-based patrolling in Kg Cenderawasih and Kg Meranti, equipment – water pumps to suppress the fire adjacent to the Pekan Forest Reserve in February-March 2024, fire-break construction to halt the fire from spreading further into the estate and forest reserve, and community livelihood activities. The meetings also included a site visit to fire location, infrastructure (canal blocks, piezometer and tubewell), peat swamp forest, indigenous communities and farmers in SEPPL (Figure 10). The main objective of the series of meetings was to indicate locations of reoccurrence of peatland fire, prevention methods before fire occurrence, action plan during fire event, delegate responsibilities among stakeholders in Pahang pre- (before), present- (during) and post- (after) any peatland fire event, establish peat fire disaster response under the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) to gain support in suppressing peatland fire, and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders in Pahang (Figure 11).