By Afix Redzuan
SHAH ALAM, Sept 10 — Selangor remains committed to its forest conservation efforts. If an area of forest reserve is degazetted, the state government is required to replace it with another area that is similar in size, so that the overall area of protected forest in Selangor remains at 30 per cent.
To date, the state currently has 250,860 hectares or 31.63 per cent of protected land.
On September 8, the state government had postponed plans to degazette the 536.70-hectare Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve (KLNFR) even though the decision was made in accordance with the law.
It is also committed to protecting the 42.1 hectares of KLNFR as additional land for the Orang Asli community in Kampung Busut Baru and for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) alignment project.
In this feature, SelangorKini reporter AFIX REDZUAN delves into the issue and presents detailed information on both the 536.7 hectares of the gazetted KLNFR and the 581.48 hectares of land in the districts of Sabak Bernam, Hulu Selangor and Hulu Langat that has been approved as replacement forest.
Permanent forest reserve replacement in Hulu Selangor
- Ampang Pechah in the Buloh Telor subdistrict
- land size: 208.98 hectares
- hill forest type
- In terms of ecology, has a complete wildlife network
- has more species of flora than the KLNFR
- has fewer species of fauna than the KLNFR
- Soil pH approximately the same as at the KLNFR
Permanent forest reserve replacement in Sabak Bernam
- PT 4182 in the Sungai Panjang subdistrict
- land size: 308.62 hectares
- peat forest type similar to the KLNFR
- species of flora similar to the KLNFR
- has more species of fauna than at the KLNFR
- soil pH is more acidic
Permanent forest reserve replacement in Hulu Langat
- Bukit Broga in the Semenyih subdistrict
- land size: 63.99 hectares
- hill forest type
- high ecotourism value
- among main hiking sites
The gazetted area
- total area size of 991.9 hectares
- the proposed area for degazettement was 536.7 hectares (has since been cancelled)
- consists of a permanent forest reserve plus three permanent forest reserve replacement areas
- plans for development cancelled
- ownership of land to development company revoked
Permanent and replacement forest reserve areas
- prior to the cancellation, only 455.2 hectares of permanent forest reserve existed
- now Selangor’s permanent forest reserve has expanded
- larger replacement area of, 581.48 hectares
- the value of biodiversity is the same or better
- replacement area types are peat land and hill forests
Orang Asli settlement
- outside of the gazetted area
- Kampung Orang Asli Busut Baru remains unaffected
- now has an additional 42.1 hectares of land
- total Orang Asli land reserves: 404.7 hectares (1,000 acres)
- present community there not original inhabitants
- relocated from Sepang due to construction of KLIA airport
- no traces of original settlement
Chronology
2008 – Selangor government designates 30 per cent of the state’s land mass as forest reserves
2012 to 2017 – A total of 359.6 hectares of the KLNFR razed by fire, including 132.0 hectares in 2014
– the KLNFR’s flora diversity declined between 30 and 40 per cent due to the fires
2014 – The state government receives an application to develop part of the KLNFR
2016 – Selangor State Forestry Department (JKNS) prepares the 2017-2021 Forest Fire Management Plan for the KLNFR and the Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve (KLSFR)
October 16, 2019 – The State Executive Council (MMKN) plans to develop 931.2 hectares of the KLNFR
September 28, 2020 – A two-day public investigation begins, involving 39 parties
January 20, 2021 – Public Investigation Committee presents a report to Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES)
February 20 – The state government lists four replacement areas, including peat swamp forests, if KLNFR is degazetted
– The state government clarifies that about 1,000 Orang Asli residents in an area of 404.7 hectares will not be affected by the degazettement process
April 14 – JKNS informs that the ongoing fires have led to KLNFR being categorised as a high risk (red) zone in the Forest Fire Management Plan for the area
May 19 – MMKN decides that only 536.7 hectares or 54.1 per cent of the proposed 991.9 hectares is degazetted
August 27 – The Selangor State Legislative Assembly is informed of the degazettement decision, done in accordance with the law and proper procedures, including public investigations
September 8 – The state government cancels the KLNFR development plan
– The three replacement areas also remain as forest reserves
