KAMPUNG SUNGAI CHENAAM, PENANG, 11 October 2025: Staff and students from the School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), took their environmental expertise to the field today by spearheading a mangrove planting and coastal cleanup expedition at the PIFWA Mangrove Forest Education Centre. Organised as part of the flagship initiative "Green Footprints: Growing Green for the Land of Ice; From Antarctica to Classroom" in conjunction with Antarctica Day celebrations, the programme highlighted the school's active dedication to experiential learning, blue carbon conservation, and community-based environmental solutions. The overarching project is driven by USM and generously funded by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) through the Sultan Mizan Antarctic Research Foundation, also known as Yayasan Penyelidikan Antartika Sultan Mizan (YPASM).
Leading the school’s participation was Associate Professor Dr. Japareng Lalung from the School of Industrial Technology, who also represented the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS) and the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Penang. Joining him on the ground were final-year students from the school's Environmental Division, who worked alongside a dynamic 60-strong volunteer contingent. The multidisciplinary team featured international exchange students and staff from Toyo University in Japan, visiting under the Experiential Learning Program organised by the USM International Office, as well as Dr. Siti Rahyla Rahmat from the School of Social Sciences and USM International Office, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asyirah Abdul Rahim from the School of Humanities, Nur Syazwana Hamzah from the Division for Industry and Community Network (DICN USM), and Mr. Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin from the USM Media and Public Relations Centre (MPRC). They were joined in the mudflats by Mr. Mohamad Faiz Mahmood and Mr. Mohd Naim from YPASM, representatives from TNB Clubs Penang, and local residents from Kampung Sungai Chenaam.
The day began with an educational briefing by the President of the Penang Inshore Fishermen Welfare Association (PIFWA), Mr. Ilias Shafie, who detailed the vital ecological functions of mangrove wetlands as natural storm buffers, estuarine nurseries, and powerful carbon sinks. For the participating industrial technology students, the field site offered an ideal opportunity to apply environmental management concepts beyond lecture halls. Rolling up their sleeves, the students and staff navigated the tidal mudflats to plant healthy mangrove saplings while simultaneously collecting discarded plastic bottles and debris entangled within the root networks, directly curbing land-based marine pollution.
The hands-on conservation experience proved both educational and rewarding for the school's aspiring environmental professionals. Muhammad Fahmi Bin Mohamed, a final-year student from the Environmental Division of the School of Industrial Technology, shared his excitement: “It was a fun and meaningful experience to get our hands dirty, plant mangroves, and play a small part in protecting our environment!” Fellow final-year classmate Mohammad Afif Aiman Bin Azfuan Azkuan also celebrated the unique learning environment, remarking: “It was a fun experience, good vibes with everyone, and definitely something different from our usual routine!”
By anchoring local wetland conservation to polar climate dynamics, the school's involvement directly advanced several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Planting mangroves reinforces SDG 13 on Climate Action by restoring blue carbon habitats essential for moderating global climate change, while the targeted cleanup addressed SDG 14 on Life Below Water and SDG 15 on Life on Land by eliminating plastic threats to coastal ecosystems. In addition, the joint effort reflected SDG 4 on Quality Education through practical student immersion, alongside SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals through close collaboration with Toyo University, TNB, YPASM, and local fishermen. Through initiatives like this, the School of Industrial Technology continues to equip its students with the real-world skills, leadership, and ecological passion needed to drive tangible environmental change from tropical shorelines to the global stage.