TRCRC

What TRCRC does

TRCRC (Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre) is a Malaysian non-profit organisation founded in 2020, headquartered in Shah Alam, Selangor, with operational sites in Gerik, Perak (TRLC-Banun) and Sandakan, Sabah (TRLC Merisuli). The organisation is purpose-built to conserve rare, threatened, and endangered tree species in Malaysian rainforests, with a particular scientific focus on the Dipterocarpaceae family — approximately 80% of Malaysian rainforest canopy — of which 93 species are classified as threatened. TRCRC addresses a specific biological constraint: Dipterocarp seeds are recalcitrant (high water content, unsuitable for conventional seed-bank storage) and must be germinated immediately. The organisation's core technology is therefore a network of living collections — perpetual plantings of genetically diverse parent trees rescued from forest fragments — that functions as a continuously reproducing seed source for reforestation.

The organisation operates a portfolio of programs: the Tropical Rainforest Living Collection (TRLC) at the Banun and Merisuli sites (with approximately 60,000 seedlings in nursery and 30,800+ trees planted across 26 hectares as of late 2025); the Seed to Tree initiative in partnership with the Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT, funded through the UK Mission to ASEAN's ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund; the People for Peat programme under the EU-supported SUPA initiative; the Central Forest Spine landscape-scale restoration effort; the Forest the New Economy alternative-livelihoods programme; the Youth Conservation Trainee Programme (a three-month immersive training for ages 18–30); and the Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre as a public education hub. Operational tooling includes GIS-based restoration planning and DJI Mavic Pro 4 drones for aerial mapping of degraded forest linkages.

TRCRC is funded through a mix of international grants (EU SUPA, UK-ASEAN Green Transition Fund, Yayasan Hasanah), corporate sponsorships (Yayasan Sime Darby as a five-year anchor funder of YCTP and TRLC-Banun, Vanke supporting TRLC Merisuli, Urban Hallmark Properties for Botanik Point), and in-kind support from government forestry departments (Perak, Hulu Perak, Sabah). It employs ~31 people and engages 15+ indigenous workers on full-time and seasonal bases. Revenue, pricing, and detailed financials are not publicly disclosed. GTM is community-led, executed through volunteer programmes, youth trainee cohorts, public events at the ERKC, and direct engagement with corporate sponsors and government partners.

Name

TRCRC

Legal name

Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre

Website

https://trcrc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TRCRC is a Malaysian non-profit (founded 2020) conserving rare and endangered rainforest tree species, with specialised expertise in Dipterocarp recalcitrant-seed propagation and living collections across sites in Perak, Sabah and Selangor. It serves government forestry departments, corporate sponsors, indigenous communities and youth trainees via reforestation, peatland and education programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rainforest Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Ecosystem Services & Natural Capital Programs (Water, Biodiversity Credits, PES) (IMAMAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH), Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests) (BPAIAMAF)

Keywords

• Rainforest conservation
• Biodiversity restoration
• Native species reforestation
• Dipterocarp conservation
• Conservation training

Headquarters

HQ city

Petaling Jaya, Selangor

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: Collaboration with companies committed to forest protection through tree planting, offsetting environmental impact, backing restoration and conservation work, and delivering forest public education campaigns.
2. Grant Funding: Funding from foundations and government programs including UK Mission to ASEAN, ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund, European Union (SUPA programme), and Malaysian government initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TRCRC is a Malaysian non-profit that operates forest conservation and restoration programs centered on rare and endangered Dipterocarp tree species. It maintains living collections of rescued trees at sites in Perak and Sabah, runs large-scale reforestation, peatland conservation, and landscape connectivity initiatives, and delivers a youth conservation training programme and public education through the Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre.

Product overview

TRCRC (Tropical Rainforest Conservation & Research Centre) is a Malaysian non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of rare, threatened, and endangered plant species. Rather than a technology platform, TRCRC operates a portfolio of conservation programs: the Seed to Tree (STT) initiative focuses on strengthening native seed supply chains for reforestation; the Tropical Rainforest Living Collection (TRLC) maintains living gene banks of Dipterocarp species at facilities in Perak and Sabah; the People for Peat (PFP) programme addresses peatland conservation in ASEAN; the Central Forest Spine (CFS) initiative restores ecological corridors; and the Youth Conservation Trainee Programme (YCTP) builds capacity among young conservationists. The Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre (ERKC) serves as the primary education and outreach hub. TRCRC also partners with companies and organizations on corporate sponsorships, tree planting, and environmental offset projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seed to Tree (STT) A collaborative reforestation initiative that strengthens native seed supply systems and supports large-scale, climate-resilient reforestation in Malaysia. Aimed at government agencies, donors, and conservation partners involved in native species restoration.
• Tropical Rainforest Living Collection (TRLC) A living gene bank of rescued Dipterocarp tree species maintained at sites in Perak (TRLC-Banun) and Sabah (TRLC-Merisuli) that serves as a perpetual seed source for reforestation projects, addressing recalcitrant seeds that cannot be stored in traditional seed banks.
• People for Peat (PFP) A regional initiative supported by the European Union under the Sustainable Use of Peatland and Haze mitigation in ASEAN (SUPA) programme, working to reduce fires and haze through sustainable peatland management in the ASEAN region.
• Central Forest Spine (CFS) A landscape-scale restoration initiative supporting Malaysia's Central Forest Spine master plan, focusing on fragmented habitat connectivity, biodiversity recovery, and forest landscape restoration through ecological corridors and reforestation.
• Forest the New Economy (FNE) A program exploring economic models that support sustainable forest management and conservation, creating alternative livelihoods dependent on forest preservation.
• Youth Conservation Trainee Programme (YCTP) A three-month immersive training program for youth aged 18-30 providing learning experiences in tropical rainforest conservation, including seed collection, nursery management, biodiversity surveys, and restoration ecology. Supported by Yayasan Sime Darby and Ministry of Finance.
• Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre (ERKC) An education and outreach center located in Shah Alam, Selangor, that provides public education on rainforest conservation and hosts events such as the Rainforest Discovery Day and World Rainforest Day celebrations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Planted over 30,800 trees throughout 26 hectares
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Yayasan Sime DarbycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Major funder and supporter of the Youth Conservation Trainee Programme (YCTP), providing unwavering commitment to empowering youth and advancing conservation efforts. Has consistently supported TRLC-Banun restoration operations for 5 years.
• Pulau Banding FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Strategic partner at the Belum-Temenggor Forest Complex, supporting logistic arrangements and youth conservation empowerment. Collaborated on Banding Trail Walk and Community Seedlings Purchase Programme.
• TRACE UM/KPBFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Strategic partner for logistics and youth conservation empowerment at the Belum-Temenggor landscape.
• BioUSMminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Delivered certified module in biodiversity monitoring and restoration ecology as partner since the inaugural YCTP batch.
• Urban Hallmark Properties (UHP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Signed MoU to support Botanik Point's journey towards ArbNet Level I Accreditation. Botanik Point has committed approximately 30% of its site as a green lung adjacent to the Ampang Forest Reserve.
• Malaysian Palm Oil Growers Council (MPOGC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026TRCRC staff attended MPOGC Biodiversity Forum 2026 in Putrajaya, exchanging perspectives on biodiversity conservation within production landscapes.
• Malaysian Nature SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partner for World Snake Day 2026 event at Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre.
• VankeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Supporter of TRLC Merisuli in Sabah, believing in active participation in TRCRC's restoration efforts.
• Alliance of Bioversity International & CIATcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2025Leading the Seed to Tree project in collaboration with TRCRC, supported by UK Mission to ASEAN through the ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund. Project aims to strengthen native seed supply systems and support large-scale, climate-resilient reforestation.
• Perak Forestry DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported tree planting programmes at Amanjaya Forest Reserve and joint-forest restoration projects.
• Hulu Perak District Forestry DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on tree planting programmes at Amanjaya site.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• One Tree Planted: Non-profit partnering with on-the-ground organisations to plant trees globally. Comparable on corporate-sponsorship-driven planting model, geographic diversification, and grant-style funding to implementing partners, though TRCRC is itself an implementer.
• Trees for the Future: International non-profit running forest garden and tree planting programmes with subsistence farmers in tropical Africa and Latin America. Comparable to TRCRC on donor-funded nursery model, farmer/indigenous livelihood integration, and metric-driven tree planting scale.
• Eden Reforestation Projects: Global non-profit focused on large-scale reforestation through nurseries, community employment and habitat restoration across multiple tropical countries. Directly comparable to TRCRC on the living-collection / nursery model, community-led planting, and donor-driven project structure.
• Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN): Indonesian non-profit foundation (formerly WWF-Indonesia) working on landscape conservation, habitat connectivity and species protection in tropical forests. Closest regional peer to TRCRC in mission, model and multi-stakeholder partnership approach, differing mainly by geography (Indonesia vs. Malaysia) and breadth.
• Malayan Nature Society (MNS): Malaysia's oldest nature conservation society, focused on biodiversity protection, environmental education and policy advocacy. Direct in-country peer; overlaps with TRCRC on community events (e.g. World Snake Day co-hosting), volunteer engagement, and government advocacy for forest policy.

Regional players

• Sabah Parks: Statutory body managing protected areas in Sabah, including Kinabalu Park. Geographic neighbour of TRLC-Merisuli and a likely co-implementer on East Malaysian conservation, with similar habitat-connectivity objectives but a public-sector mandate.

Broad incumbents

• WWF-Malaysia: Established Malaysian arm of a global conservation major, working on forests, wildlife and policy. Operates a much broader portfolio than TRCRC but competes for the same corporate and government conservation funding, and overlaps on Belum-Temenggor / Central Forest Spine-type landscape programmes.
• Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM): Statutory body under the Ministry of Natural Resources conducting research on tropical forestry, biodiversity and forest products. Comparable technical authority on dipterocarp silviculture and seed biology; operates at much greater scale and as the de facto national research reference.

Emerging players

• Bornean Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF): Indonesia-based orangutan conservation and habitat restoration NGO. Comparable in operating model — species-focused habitat restoration, donor-supported nurseries, multi-stakeholder partnerships — though centred on fauna and Indonesian sites.

Others

• Conservation International (CI):

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_-9bPgsC-F_cbbQha1t4Tg
• Facebookfacebook.com/trcrc.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trcrc
• Instagraminstagram.com/trcrc_org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TRCRC