Take a trip to forest reserve

Monday October 19, 2009 Take a trip to forest reserve By JADE CHAN THE PUBLIC will get the rare opportunity to visit the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve in Puchong during the upcoming World Habitat Day Programme and Malaysian Environment Week. The event, to be held from Oct 23-25 at the main concourse of IOI Mall’s New Wing, is organised by the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ), Kinrara assemblyman Teresa Kok’s office, Universiti Putra Malaysia’s (UPM) Forestry Faculty and IOI Properties. Forest in the city: A sparkling stream inside the Ayer Hitam Forest Forest in Puchong. It is organised in collaboration with the Department of Environment (DOE), Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan), Selangor Forestry Department, WWF Malaysia, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Subang Jaya district police, and Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP). MPSJ public relations officer Azfarizal Abdul Rashid said the council-level event is aimed at increasing awareness on the need to protect and preserve the environment and ecosystem, encouraging green practices, and educating the public on the role that nature plays. Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim is scheduled to launch the event on Saturday at noon. Among the highlights are the scheduled trips to the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve and Enviro-Challenge Competition. The trip to the forest will be held held at 11am and 2pm on Saturday and Sunday (two sessions for each day). It is open to the public for free. Transport is provided. Visitors have to register and gather at the IOI Mall’s lobby, as seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Enviro-Challenge Competition uses the “explorace” concept, whereby 100 participants (in groups of five) will cycle around Puchong to collect clues and complete tasks that are related to the environment. The competition is held from 7.30am-11am on Saturday, and is targeted at students and youths. The competition offers prizes valued at RM2,000, RM1,500 and RM1,000 to the first, second and third place winners respectively. A colouring competition for children will also be held at 2.30pm on Saturday. For enquiries, call the MPSJ at 03-8026 3188/ 8026 7401.

Natural sanctuary for Temuan folk

Saturday June 6, 2009 Natural sanctuary for Temuan folk By JADE CHAN KAMPUNG Rasau Ulu tok batin (community leader) Erak Sarik has fond memories of the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve in Puchong, Selangor. The 59-year-old recalled many of his explorations in the forest, including a time he discovered a panther’s footprints there. Insider knowledge: Erak (right) explaining to Dr Awang Noor the difference between some of the plants and their medical properties. “I first entered the forest when I was six with my father and uncle. I once come across three toyols (baby-like ghouls) in the forest, but they merely laughed and disappeared after I asked them where their parents were,” Erak said. “I also cried for hours while sitting on a treetop when I got left behind in the forest as a child,” he added. According to Erak, whose knowledge of the forest and guidance is often sought, the Temuan orang asli tribesmen from his village and nearby Kampung Rasau Hilir visit the forest at least once a month, as the forest is part of their lives. “We bathe, fish, trek, and hold family gatherings there,” Erak said. The Ayer Hitam Forest is believed to have been settled by the Temuan orang asli tribe 400 years ago. The entrance to the forest is from Bandar Saujana Puchong, just 10 minutes away from the heart of the Puchong township and a short distance from the Puchong Selatan toll plaza off the LDP Highway. Rich heritage: The Ayer Hitam Forest Forest in Puchong is believed to have been settled by the Temuan orang asli tribe 400 years ago. The forest, under the jurisdiction of the Selangor Forestry Department, is on an 80-year lease since 1996 to Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). “As the forest caretaker, we have been granted the right to use it for education, research and extension (activities related to the forest) purposes,” UPM Forestry Faculty dean Prof Dr Awang Noor Abd Ghani said. “The forest’s land area was originally 4,270.7ha, but it was degazetted for a variety of land uses. As of February 2009, 1,217ha has been gazetted by the Selangor government as an education and research forest,” Awang said. The forest is used for various academic activities and serves as a practical training ground for courses related to ecology, forest management, silviculture, soil science, land survey, and related topics. “First-year students from our faculty get acquainted with the forest through forestry camps, while the local and international students and researchers carry out research projects in the forest,” Awang said. “UPM staff members and students from other faculties can also use the forest for training, seminars and workshop purposes,” he said. Awang said the forest was also used as a guided recreation venue for school groups and organisations interested in nature. According to Awang, beyond education and research, the forest provided other services such as soil protection, watershed protection, microclimate regulation, air pollution control, noise pollution control, shoreline stabilisation (erosion control), sediment retention, carbon sequestration, security and genetic conservation areas. He said the forest reserve was rich with flora and fauna, with its flora biodiversity ranging from timber and fruit trees to algae and ferns, to palm and bamboo, and medical herbs. Creatures that have been discovered in the forest include primates, wild boar, deer, birds, snakes, frogs, fish and insects. “Our researchers have discovered some plant and insect species that are endemic (found naturally) in that forest,” Awang said. Awang said based on a study published in 2007, he estimated that the conservation value of the forest was worth RM2.4bil. “However, if the forest is converted to residential land, the net loss to society would be RM1.3bil,” he said. “In any economic development, we have to take the value of forest goods and services into account. On the subject of social costs, we have to consider the impact on the present and future generations,” he said. While acknowledging that development was essential, Awang said equity issues had to be factored in. “Who gets what? Who benefits? Who will pay for the loss of resources? If we have to pay, who is willing to pay and how much? “The payment mechanism can be charged through the market, depending on the type of goods and services. One example is to use taxpayers’ money to maintain and conserve the forest,” he said. Awang said what was needed to be done for the forest was an environmental impact assessment (EIA) on the physical, social and economic aspects. “We need to study the impact on the local community in terms of risk aspects like landslides and pollution. “The extended cost benefit analysis needs to take into account all the direct and indirect impact in the cash flow,” he said. “The forest environmental cost and benefits should be included, and not just its market value,” Awang said. He also suggested that the forest be jointly managed by getting the community to support the preservation of the forest and consider it a part of the public property. For more information on the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, visit www.forr.upm.edu.my. Those wishing to organise activities in the forest can contact forest conservator Paimon Bawon at 03-8943 7162/ 7219 or paiman@putra.upm.edu.my.

Group: Gazette forest reserve and settle court case

Monday January 18, 2010 Group: Gazette forest reserve and settle court case By JADE CHAN A GROUP called the Signature Campaign Teamwork (SCT) wants legal steps taken to safeguard the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, following the Selangor state government’s promise not to develop the forest reserve. Selangor Tourism, Consumer and Environment Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong had announced the state government’s decision to abort a proposed cemetery project in the forest reserve at a New Year celebration in Puchong on Jan 9. “For the issue to be resolved, the state government has to permanently gazette the site as a forest reserve, and get their lawyers to inform the Shah Alam High Court to reach an out of court settlement with regards to the case,” said SCT secretary Ng Chee Kwong. Unanimous voice: Signature Campaign Teamwork members, including secretary Ng (third from right) and chairman Lee Wai Hong (third from left), with a banner declaring that the residents from the five housing areas want the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve to be regazetted, and not have a cemetery near their homes. The SCT had applied for a judicial review on the proposed cemetery project at the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve. The case is fixed for mention on March 16 at the Shah Alam High Court. The state government and the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) have been named as the respondents. “Our lawyers told us that their lawyers have to inform the judge that the project has been cancelled and get the court to record the case; otherwise it would be considered as contempt of court,” said Ng. “The forest reserve also has to be regazetted, because there is a risk that the project will be revived if it is not. “We want a legal solution to safeguard the forest reserve and residents, as a political announcement does not mean anything.” Although the SCT had received an invitation to attend the celebration, Ng said they did not send any representatives as they did not know who had sent the invitation and that no definitive solution had been issued. “We are giving the state government a March 16 deadline to gazette the forest reserve and settle the court case,” he said. Ng said the SCT was also against the conditional agreement mentioned by the Selangor Mentri Besar that the state government could only regazette the forest reserve when another suitable site for the cemetery was identified. The SCT comprises representatives from Saujana Puchong, Mutiara Indah, Bandar Bukit Puchong, Gateway Puchong and Lestari Puchong. According to the SCT members, there are more than 10,000 houses in the five housing areas. They are against the cemetery project due to its proximity to their homes and to ensure that the forest reserve remains as it is to preserve the environment. Ng said the proposed cemetery project covers 150 acres but it was initially stated at 55. The forest reserve originally spanned some 4,270ha but it was degazetted over a variety of land uses over the years. As of February 2009, 1,217ha had been gazetted by the Selangor government as an education and research forest.

Selangor aborts cemetery project

Tuesday January 12, 2010 Selangor aborts cemetery project By THO XIN YI PUCHONG residents received a New Year gift from the Selangor state government in the form of a promise not to develop the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve. In a New Year celebration in Puchong on Saturday morning, Selangor Tourism, Consumer and Environment Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong announced the state’s decision to abort the proposed cemetery project in the forest reserve. Since April 2004, the residents had been fighting for the project to be scrapped so that the forest would remain a green lung. In 2008, more than 1,500 residents from Saujana Puchong, Lestari Puchong, Bandar Bukit Puchong, Gateway Puchong and Mutiara Indah submitted a petition, protesting against the development, to the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ). Forest in the city: The Ayer Hitam Forest Forest in Puchong is believed to have been settled by the Temuan orang asli tribe 400 years ago, and is rich with flora and fauna. Wong described the state’s decision as a victory for the people. “The forest reserve is rich with flora and fauna and thus should not be developed,” Wong said. The forest is believed to have been settled by the Temuan orang asli tribe 400 years ago, and they are now living in two villages nearby. Orginally, the forest spanned some 4,270ha, but it was degazetted for a variety of land uses over the years. As of February 2009, 1,217ha had been gazetted by the Selangor government as an education and research forest. Under the jurisdiction of the Selangor Forestry Department, the forest is on an 80-year lease, dating from 1996, to Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Wong said the forest reserve was exclusively for scientific research and not open to the public, except with permission from the forestry department. Nonetheless, following the residents’ demand, the state government is now looking at degazetting a part of the forest reserve for a recreational forest. “If possible, the site should be a degraded forest. “We’ll probably cut some trails and make it into a site like Bukit Gasing. “But we are not going to chop down trees for this, so as not to defeat the whole purpose,” Wong said. The orang asli, who have vast knowledge of the forest, would be invited to be part of this plan by working as guides or guardians. Wong added that the effort in retaining the forest reserve was in line with the United Nations’ International Year of Biodiversity, which was launched on Monday in Berlin, Germany. “It is a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity in our lives. “We will do more this year to avert the crisis,” Wong said. Meanwhile, the state government, through the state planners, is looking for a more suitable site for the cemetery project.