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| » Habitat Protection |
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Royal Belum State Park, Now A Reality |
10-05-2007
A long journey with a silver lining; the Perak State Government announced on the 10th May 2007 that the Royal Belum State Park was officially gazetted. A total of 117,500 ha has been put aside as the State Park, with no further logging activities. The total area gazetted sums up to about a quarter of the total area MNS had been lobbying for (total of 300,000 ha-almost four times the size of Singapore) which also includes the Temengor Forest Reserve. Just late last year, after the Belum-Temengor postcard campaign, it was announced that logging in the Temengor Forest Reserve would come to a halt in 2008.
While the good news is indeed a great milestone for MNS, work still continues towards:
1) The extension of the Royal Belum State Park to include the Temengor Forest Reserve
2) Protection of the natural forest stretch flanking the East-West highway from conversion to plantation
3) Developing a site conservation management plan for the State Park
Together the Royal Belum State Park and Temengor Forest Reserve (here after referred to as Belum-Temengor Complex) form a large contiguous tract of forest that supports a whole diversity of flora and fauna, such as the Asiatic elephant, Malayan tiger and the Malayan Tapir just to name a few. The forest area is also home to 10 types of hornbills which are dependant on large areas to roost and feed. It is also vital for the survival of the Plain-pouched Hornbill, which MNS has been studying for the past five years.
Being an area which is highly essential to the survival of large mammals, it is important not to alienate this priceless forest by allowing the conversion of the forest corridors into plantations for invasive species. Invasive species such as Acacia are highly competitive plants and may alienate local flora. Without the forest corridors comprised of our natural forests, the survival of some wildlife species may be questionable. MNS calls for the promotion of a trans-boundary protected area approach instead.
The Belum-Temengor Complex has also been recognised in the National Physical Plan as an Environmentally Sensitive Area, which co-incidentally is also an important water catchment area. Much akin to a sponge, the forests play an important role as a provider of a clean water resource to the state.
Although MNS is thrilled at the news of the Royal Belum State Park, the journey continues with sheer determination to safeguard one of our nation's oldest heritage, Belum-Temengor Complex.
For further queries or to contribute to this cause, please contact Mr Yeap Chin Aik at conservation2@mns.org.my
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