Voluntary work opportunities

In 2010, to revamp the Raja Musa Forest Reserve (RMFR), a rehabilitation project was initiated by the Friends of North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest Association (a local NGO) in collaboration with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders. As part of the largest peat swamp forest complex on the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, the Raja Musa Forest Reserve (RMFR) is an important home to many threatened species, as well as a valuable ecosystem in the fight against global warming. Despite this, over the years the forest has been subjected to fires and illegal encroachment which severely reduced its area (1). The project was considered unique as it was an innovation aimed to enhance and strengthen the capacity of the local community in peatland water management and forest rehabilitation works (3,5). Activities included among others rehabilitation of the degraded peat forest through the plantation of new seedlings, demonstration of, and provision of a documentary model for community-based peat swamp forest rehabilitation, as well as the creation of an awareness programme with the local community and dissemination of educational materials (2).
The importance of the intervention consists not only in the implementer's approach in regard to nature-based solutions but also in its aim of documenting a "model of low-cost hydrologic restoration of peat swamp forest" which ultimately should be replicated in similar conditions but in various locations (2).

In 2008, Mahidol University in Thailand announced its revised five-year Green Campus master plan titled 'A Promised Place to Live and Learn with Nature' for its main Salaya Campus. The scheme aimed to promote a green conscience and lifestyle for its students and faculty through sustainable campus developments that consider social and environmental aspects. The university's objectives were to achieve energy conservation, environmental sustainability, and social cohesion and well-being. The main features of the master plan included the creation and maintenance of green open spaces covering at least 70% of the campus premises, optimization of land use, transformation of infrastructure to encourage cycling, creation of outdoor learning, recreational and research areas, and enhancement of local biodiversity. The master plan also covered guidelines and targets for energy consumption, waste, and water management in the campus buildings. The Siri Ruckhachati Nature Park, the university's arboretum, was also redesigned with green and blue areas playing a role in flood management. Following the 'Green Campus' master plan, Mahidol University developed its existing mission further and became an 'Eco University' in 2012 and a 'Sustainable University' in 2021. These two missions focus primarily on reducing energy consumption and waste management.
(Ref.1,2,3,12)

The Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve is a forest located 10 km west of Kuala Lumpur in the state of Selangor and is the oldest managed forest reserve in Peninsular Malaysia. As the reserve was threatened over the years by plans for clearing and housing development, the community located in the township close to the forest sprang into action to salvage the forest. As early as 2003 an organization called Friends of Kota Damansara was formed to lead a diverse group of concerned individuals, organisations and communities to rally together to vocally defend the forest (2, 3). Efforts to protect and conserve the forest focused on a series of activities such as the development of a biodiversity management plan, awareness-raising activities, educational activities, building capacity activities, and the creation of an ethnobotanical garden to showcase Temuan (local indigenous people) knowledge of plants (1). These efforts were funded with the help of the UN's GEF's Small Grants Programme and led to the reserve being officially gazetted as of 18 February 2010 (Sel GN 398/2010) and being classified as amenity forest, education forest and research forest, making up 3% of land area in the state of Selangor (1, 2). Nowadays, the Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve Trails is a popular weekend destination for mountain bikers, trail runners and casual hikers (3). Furthermore, the KDCFP has become much more accessible and utilizable by visitors from various categories of societies, besides researchers discovering and documenting a number of species of flora and fauna unique or endemic to the park (1).

The Community Garden Project was proposed in 2018 by Samyuktha Kannan (a resident of Chennai City) to the Resident Welfare Association (RWA), which is a non-governmental organization (NGO) of Kasturba Nagar (1,2,3). The RWA uses the community hall of a public park of Kasturba Nagar to host meetings and community events, but the area was surrounded by open dry land and an unmanaged field (1,2). This open area surrounding the community hall was then assigned to develop a community garden of 1500 square feet (1,2,3). This project aimed to serve as a shared garden place to bring along residents of all age groups to enjoy gardening and simultaneously create opportunities to learn and share knowledge through social engagement and reconnect with nature (1,2). Although implemented and completed in 2019, the project still continues to contribute towards sustainability through further development and introduction of eco-friendly elements and activities, as well as the involvement of various stakeholders for support (3,4).

18 km southwest of Karachi City (Sandspit area), the World Wildlife Fund Wetland Center (an NGO subsidiary of the WWF) started a project in 2011 called Nurturing Young Sapling with a grant from the Mangrove for the Future organization. The project aimed to increase the mangrove forest cover near Karachi as to restore the ecosystem and improve the habitat for local and migratory birds, crabs and other fauna. In this way, the project sought to improve biodiversity and therefore the availability of livelihood resources to the local community, as well as to enable ecotourism. It also focused to enhance the awareness of school children on the importance of a mangrove ecosystem and advocating for its sustainable use (1).
The project benefited local fishing communities, school children and their families as well as local and international visitors to the Sandspit area. The project resulted in the mangrove plantation at 4.5 hectares area, the establishment of a mangrove (Avicennia Marina) nursery, the plantation of 5000 mangrove saplings, awareness raising of 200 school children, two-day awareness conference, the celebration of significant environmental days at the Wetland Centre to promote conservation awareness among school children (1, 2, 3).
After the successful completion of the project in 2012, WWF Pakistan has been actively involved in the management and plantation of mangroves in the Sandspit area. Multiple campaigns and awareness-raising programs for coastal protection are conducted by WWF in their Sandspit office with multiple partnerships to plant and educate students and communities about the importance of mangrove trees. (5)

To improve the ecological and living environment for the residents, Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) inaugurated a project, "For a Green Dormitory" in September, 2022. The project is a tree planting activity sponsored by the program "One million urban green trees" (MTIC) by Green Viet Water Biodiversity Conservation Center (GreenViet), through the Conservation Fund project. The aim of the green dormitory project was to promote the planting of different species of trees to improve the ecological and living environment for more than 40,000 students staying at the centre. More than 1000 trees such as Pink trumpet, Black Star, Oil, and Camphor have been planted at planned points at the dormitory (1). The initial goal was to plant a total of 5,250 trees from September 2022 to March 2023 and included a series of greening activities of mass organizations at the dormitory campus of the Vietnam National University. So far, more than 1000 students, 200 lecturers, the dormitory manager of VNU-HCM and more than 50 members of Dang Gia Trang Manufacturing, Trading and Service Co., Ltd, participated in the project (1). In addition to this, the project also initiated an exchange program through which plastic waste was exchanged to receive green trees, encouraging awareness among officials, employees and boarding students (2).

To address the increasing pressure on urban green spaces, Buku Jalanan Chow Kit, an NGO in Kuala Lumpur initiated a green project where the local community could thrive, learn about the benefits of nature and use their ethnobotanical heritage. The project provided a way to enrich biodiversity and enhance the sustainability and resilience of the local communities (1).
Kuala Lumpur, the Capital and the largest city in Malaysia is home to 1.8 mils. people. Due to its growing population, the city experiences a steep decrease in existing green spaces, increasing urban heat effects and air pollution (4). Furthermore, privatizing public spaces led to a loss in biodiversity throughout the city and severely affected the environment. The current project will focus on creating ~2500 sq ft (~232.2576 sq m) rooftop urban farm, biodiversity garden and playground on an existing building. This space will be a habitat for urban wildlife, as well as a space for food production and recreation (1). The project benefits from funding through the UN's GEF Small Grants Programme and aims to provide a community capacity-building space to engage and host activities to empower the Chow Kit community. (1,2)

A community gardening pilot project was launched in Lahore by the Institute for Art and Culture (IAC) as a part of its mission and outreach programme to develop sustainable communities. Created in 2020, the project was developed in the Government Girls High School located in the vicinity of IAC in the low-income Sher Shah Colony in Raiwind Road. Various other organisations, including Gardening for All, The Little Arts and Adventure Foundation Pakistan also provided support to the project (1,2,3).

The project aimed to involve 70 students and 10 teachers from grades 7 to 10 via a series of workshops (3, 9) and provide hands-on training to the girls and their teachers (2). A trainer provided information on relevant topics in the workshops and also taught students of ideal and efficient planting practices (6).

The representatives of IAC and Gardening for All selected the ideal space for carrying out the community garden project in the school playground (4). The total area of the community garden is not revealed but proper raised beds were created for students (2). The students participated in the development of the community garden and took care of their dedicated garden beds (3, 6). The representatives of IAC had a keen interest to ensure the long-term continuity of this project by providing appropriate training and involving the schools together with the communities they represent (3).

The Chiangmai urban farm was developed on a former landfill site in the Chiangmai city centre area. The project was initiated by a local community architecture studio and supported by various groups of the local NGOs, civic groups and the local government. The project began in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to help vulnerable people in the communities nearby the site to increase food security, improve nutrition and build a self-sufficiency lifestyle. Moreover, the urban farm is designed to be a ‘public space’ that connects people from different backgrounds through agriculture. The Farm consists of various garden plots ideal for short-harvest and long-harvest species, a chicken coop, a plant nursery and a storage area. Knowledge sharing and capacity building are other goals of the project. Accordingly, training and workshops are organised in the bamboo pavilion of the garden. Since its establishment, the urban farm provides the local community with farming and learning opportunities and a space to socialize. The financial background of the project was provided through fundraising and the efforts of volunteers who developed this project into a self-sustaining farm without relying on donations. (Ref.1,2,4,9)

Uuliin Nuur (Mountain Lake or Green Lake) is a community park located in the ger district area known as Denjin Myanga of Ulaanbaatar city. The Ger district is a term commonly used in Mongolia to refer to a type of settlement located on the outskirts of the country's capital city and characterized by traditional Mongolian gers, or yurts. The area was once a quarry for the city’s construction during the socialist regime (from 1946 to the late 1960s) and was turned into a dumping ground after its closure. In 2009, a private citizen, Ulziitogtokh Sodnomsenge, gained approval to develop Uuliin Nuur. He cleaned up the area and used his savings to turn the former dumpsite into a green garden in the middle of ger areas to create a healthy, green, public space, especially for children living in the area. He opened an ice rink in the winter of 2012 and officially opened the Uuliin Nuur park in May 2014. From 2013 to 2019, approximately 1000 trees and shrubs were planted in this park during the spring and autumn. The trees were planted by the founder of the project by locals and foreign visitors as memorial trees. Over the years, the park was equipped with various community facilities to support social interaction and educational purposes. Uuliin Nuur is one of the few public places launched and developed by an individual. It showcases how abandoned places can be transformed into valuable places and how the local community's attitudes and awareness can change. (Ref. 1, 3, 4)