FedEx and TrEES Rehabilitate Mangrove Habitats on Carey Island, Supporting Malaysia’s Mahmeri Orang Asli Community

Federal Express Corporation, one of the world's largest express transportation companies, is deepening its commitment to community-led environmental stewardship through a multi-phase mangrove rehabilitation effort on Carey Island, Malaysia, in partnership with local environmental organization Treat Every Environment Special (TrEES), which is dedicated to empowering communities in the protection and sustainable management of the environment. The initiative aims to rehabilitate vulnerable coastal ecosystems while empowering the Mahmeri Orang Asli community whose livelihoods depend on them.

Malaysia's mangrove forest cover has declined from 629,038 hectares in 2017 to about 586,548 hectares today, a loss of roughly 42,500 hectares over eight years, caused by a combination of coastal erosion and human-induced factors such as land-use conversion for coastal infrastructure, aquaculture and agriculture. For the Mahmeri Orang Asli on Carey Island, mangroves are a foundation resource, used for traditional roofing, handicrafts and fishing practices that have been passed down for generations.

This year's program, the latest chapter in a four-year FedEx and TrEES collaboration, involved 21 FedEx employees across two phases of rehabilitation work on Carey Island. In the first phase, volunteers filled polybags with mud and prepared young mangrove seedlings for the nursery, gaining hands-on experience in propagation and a deeper understanding of how these ecosystems protect coastlines. Seedlings were then nurtured by the Mahmeri Orang Asli community at Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Judah until they were ready for replanting. In the second phase, volunteers planted 180 Pokok Api-api (Avicennia alba and Avicennia marina), 60 Bakau Kurap (Rhizophora mucronata), 210 Bakau Minyak (Rhizophora apiculata), and 50 Nipah (Nypa fruticans) along river reserves. Across both phases, community members from Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Judah guided volunteers with traditional ecological knowledge shaped over generations through their close relationship with the forest.

"At FedEx, we believe sustainability has to be rooted in the realities of each community we serve," said Tien Long Woon, managing director of FedEx Malaysia. "Being welcomed by the Mahmeri Orang Asli has given our team members the chance to learn directly from the community and contribute in ways that create lasting value. We remain committed to supporting community-driven efforts that strengthen both people and the environment."

"Partnering with TrEES on this rehabilitation goes beyond planting trees," said Tien Long Woon, managing director of FedEx Malaysia. "It is about standing alongside the Mahmeri Orang Asli community as they work to protect what sustains them and making sure our team plays a direct role in that effort."

Leela Panikkar, director of TrEES, said, "This initiative demonstrates how meaningful outcomes can be achieved when multiple stakeholders, including environmental organizations, local communities, companies and government agencies, work together toward a shared goal. Through the support of partners like FedEx, and with the support and involvement of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, we are helping to ensure that mangrove rehabilitation efforts are both effective and sustainable."

Healthier mangrove forests also contribute to food security through small-scale fisheries, create new eco-tourism opportunities and build stronger local stewardship for long-term climate resilience.

This year's effort builds on three years of FedEx Malaysia and TrEES collaboration. In 2022, the partnership rebuilt a kindergarten perimeter wall for the Mahmeri Orang Asli community in Pulau Carey using 1,500 ecobricks, creating a safer play area for local children. In 2023 and 2024, volunteers helped plant, harvest and distribute fresh produce through a 1,000-square-foot community vegetable garden in Klang Valley, promoting food security among underserved urban families. The mangrove rehabilitation marks the program's most ecologically ambitious chapter yet.

These efforts are part of FedEx Cares, the company's global community engagement program and one-way FedEx lives out its purpose of connecting people and possibilities. FedEx aims to make the world a better place through in-kind shipping, volunteering our time and expertise, and charitable giving. Learn more about ongoing community initiatives at fedexcares.com.