By Siti Rohaizah Zainal
SHAH ALAM, Feb 14 — The Selangor government is endeavouring to realise 33.3 per cent of the area within the state will be set aside as forest reserves by 2030.
State executive councillor for the environment and green technology Hee Loy Sian said, for the time being, the forest reserves in Selangor encompass approximately 32.5 per cent of its area.
“Selangor is committed to ensuring the total area of forest reserves does not decrease, and in fact increases.
“Among the steps being taken includes revisiting potential forests, and we are confident at making this happen. However, the process is not easy and it takes time for forests to be gazetted as reserves,” he said, following the Selangor Environmental and Green Technology Small Grant 2021/2022 presentation ceremony, held at the foyer of the State Secretariat Building earlier today.
Selangor has added three more permanent forest reserves, with an area size of 581.48 hectares, to preserve natural treasures, such as keeping water and controlling humidity.
The Sungai Panjang forest reserve in Sabak Bernam, the Ampang Pechah forest reserve in Hulu Selangor, and the Bukit Broga forest reserve in Hulu Langat contain a variety of flora and fauna species.
Alongside these three areas, the state government has also retained the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve at 900 hectares, even as 30 to 40 percent of its diversity declined due to peat swamp forest fires.
