The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Selangor Branch would like to extend its congratulations to the Selangor State Forestry Department for taking action against the illegal encroachment into the Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve. The recent operation to clear crops, fell oil palm trees and demolish illegal structures is a good sign that the Selangor government is committed to protecting the natural heritage of the state.

 

MNS notes that the Langat South reserve was originally 12,141 hectares but has since been progressively degraded with less than 5,000 hectares of forest remaining today. We hope that the Forestry Department will now make an effort to replant the degraded areas with native tree species. We also hope that a system of monitoring can be put in place to prevent further encroachment.

MNS notes that scientists from UKM doing research in Langat South found that the forest was extremely rich in species, with a high potential for finding species that had never before been recorded from Malaysia and some which were entirely new to science.

We trust that the State government will continue to protect this important forest and thus safeguard this rich biological resource.

The writer is Selangor branch chairman of the Malaysian Nature Society