These sustainability leaders and passionate conservationists are committed to restore and enrich urban biodiversity by introducing a gateway for the public to experience and appreciate Malaysia’s natural heritage of biodiversity.
Let them tell you why the environment is so important to them!
Dato’ Azmir Merican
Group Managing Director, Sime Darby Property
“Residential environments with rich biodiversity enhance people’s wellbeing & positively impact their lives. We incorporate biodiversity into every facet of our developments through partnerships and conscientious planning where people and nature can thrive as one.”
“As a sustainable developer, we believe in providing more than just green spaces for our communities. Through active reforestation and conservation efforts, our township and parklands can be transformed into havens for endangered tree species.”
“The ERKC was envisioned since the inception of The City of Elmina to be a catalyst in cultivating biodiversity and establishing a symbiosis between nature and communities.”
Mohd Razif Mohd Yusoff
General Manager, Safety & Sustainability, Sime Darby Property
“As temporary guardians of this planet, we must work collectively with key partners and communities to ensure that our future generations can enjoy healthy and biodiverse ecosystems.”
Dzaeman Dzulkifli
Executive Director, Founder of TRCRC
“Personally I feel and believe that we cannot exist separately from biodiversity. We are dependent on all the services it provides thus we require a balanced approach to development and coexistence with the natural world.”
Afzaa Aziz
Conservation Project Manager, TRCRC
“Humans, plants, animals, forests and oceans – everything in our living world is interconnected. We hope the centre will be where nature connectedness and visitors’ emotional affinity toward nature can flourish and thrive.”
Read more about the team’s journey
Connecting humans and nature with the Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre
The ERKC is a One-Stop-Centre for forestry research, conservation, education and recreation, located adjacent to the Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve in the City of Elmina. ERKC was formed through a collaboration between Sime Darby Property and non-governmental organisation Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre (TRCRC), with the objective of connecting communities within and beyond the City of Elmina to the natural rainforest. Positioned as the “Gateway to Malaysia’s Natural Heritage”, the centre comprises a tree nursery dubbed the Elmina Living Collection Nursery (ELCN) which aims to produce over 100,000 native species with a focus on endangered, rare and threatened (ERT) tree species under the IUCN Red List. In the future, the ERKC plans to organise guided nature walks and nursery tours for the public and Elmina residents.
Building a sustainable future with Sime Darby Property
For over 10 years, sustainability has been a beacon Sime Darby Property nurtured and embedded within the company’s corporate culture. As the largest property developer (by landbank) in Malaysia, we pride ourselves as a ‘Force for Good’ that continuously prioritise biodiversity conservation and implement the principles of circular economy throughout our 25 township and niche developments, with trailblazing initiatives such as the Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre.
Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre (TRCRC) aims to protect Malaysia’s rare, threatened and endangered plant species. With a strong emphasis on taking action and working on the ground in order to tackle biodiversity loss, which TRCRC believes is one of the most pressing issues facing today’s society. These conservationists also aim to promote sustainable development and management practices through conservation and restoration initiatives.