Reviews & Press : : Heritage Trees of Penang

Tome on heritage trees launched
The Star, Saturday July 9, 2011

AMIDST the state’s celebration of its rich living and built heritage, Penang’s lush greenery and botanic legacy was not forgotten.

Thus, the ‘Heritage Trees of Penang’ — a book by Simon Gardner, Pindar Sidisunthorn and Lai Ee May, was launched at the E & O Hotel on Thursday.

Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng described the book as “significant” because it creates awareness of the state’s rich bio-cultural heritage.

“Trees are an essential part of our heritage,” he said.

Penang Botanic Gardens chief controller Datuk Tengku Idaura Tengku Ibrahim in her speech, said the book was an important documentation of the state’s living (greenery) heritage — trees.

“Many places in Penang were named after trees — Jelutong, Gelugor and Sungai Nibong, for instance.

“This book is filled with information about our trees, with beautiful water colour paintings and photographs,” she said.

Informative: Su Lin Driscoll, nine, holding a copy of the book

Botanical and environmental researcher Gardner, who is also a photographer and writer, botanical illustrator and writer Sidisunthorn, and biology lecturer Lai, received a RM40,000 grant from the George Town Grants Programme, to supplement the book’s printing cost.

The grant was awarded under a seed-funding initiative by Think City Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Federal Government’s investment arm Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

It is for urban rejuvenation projects within the George Town World Heritage Site.

The hardcover book, published by Areca Books, was launched by Yang di-Pertua Negri Tun Abdul Rahman Abbas.

Abdul Rahman also launched the nasi kandar food festival which ended yesterday.