One-Touch QR Code: An example of a community engagement project by INTROP

Sheriza Mohd Razali; Zaiton Samdin; Norfaryanti Kamaruddin

The Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products (INTROP) and Taman Rekreasi Paya Bakau, Sijangkang, Teluk Panglima Garang, Selangor, has established a community program in the park. The program involves researchers, students and the community. INTROP’s research team was led by Associate Professor Dr. Zaiton Samdin from INTROP and the School of Business and Economics, UPM.

The community project, named One-Touch QR Code also involved collaboration with Malaysian Adhesive and Chemicals Sdn. Bhd., which provided materials for plates and trees tagging.

One-Touch QR Code is the first project involves community  which lead by Laboratory of Sustainable Bioresource Management (BIOREM), INTROP. The researchers involved in this project are providing a solution to the community in the engagement of recreational and botanical knowledge.  The code is providing tree scientific name, local and family names and also photos of the tree.

The recreational park is used for daily activities for school children’s, youngsters and families in spending their leisure time after school and weekends.  Nowadays, a group of volunteers joint by senior residents coordinate various nature programs, for example collecting mangrove seeds, nature-walk on an 800-meter walkway and motivation talks.

On 27^th November and 10^th December of 2019, the team conducted visits to the park, and to mangrove nursery area and they also met the volunteer group who provided more accurate view of the overall area which planned to establish a mangrove nursery site.

This project received an in-kind allocation by the community namely, food and beverages and field assistance, while INROP provides the knowledge-based service to the community.  As a result, nearby residents and community as well as the visitors gained accurate knowledge on botanical mangrove.

Date of Input: 26/08/2020 | Updated: 26/08/2020 | norfaryanti