Reflecting on Promises Made

New Year’s is a time when we reflect on past promises made, whether we achieved these goals, and what we need to do in the new year to improve ourselves.

We remember with great pride and happiness the promises that were made on 27 August 2005, the day Chief Minister of Selangor, together with the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia declared the establishment of Selangor State Park, as Taman Warisan Selangor. 

Today, the Park is known as Taman Negeri Selangor, and will be 108,300 ha once completely gazetted. 

Below, we recall the highlights of the speeches and promises made by both the Chief Minister of Selangor and the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, on that auspicious day, over 5 years ago.  Sadly, this location where the declaration occurred, is the same location that the KLORR is likely to cut through the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge, the key feature of the Park.

Teks Ucapan Pelancaran

YAB Timbalan Perdana Menteri Malaysia

Di Majlis Pelancaran Taman Warisan Selangor

Di Kawasan Rekreasi Empangan Klang Gates Ampang

Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya

Pada 27 Ogos 2005

…….Konsentrasi dan kepesatan penduduk yang terdapat dan akan bertambah di Selangor dan Konurbasi Kuala Lumpur, jika tidak dirancang dengan sempurna, akan menimbulkan kesan negatif terhadap penduduk dan persekitaran fizikal dan sosio-ekonomi di  wilayah ini, jika langkah-langkah pencegahan tidak diambil daripada sekarang.  Diantara kerumitan yang dijanka wujud jika tidak dihindari ialah ketiadaan air minuman yang cukup, kualiti air sungai yang sangat rendah, pemotongan bukit dan penebangan pokok kerana pembukaan tanah untuk pembangunan, kepupusan fauna dan flora kerana kekurangan kawasan semula jadi, dan kekurangan kawasan lapang dan kawasan hijau sebagai ‘green lungs’ bagi kawasan Konurbasi Kuala Lumpur keseluruhannya….

Taman Warisan Selangor yang akan dilancarkan pada hari ini, yang terletak di sepanjang di sebelah timur negeri Selangor dan sangat hampir dengan sempadan Kuala Lumpur, merupakan kawasan warisan khazanah alam semula jadi bukan sahaja kepada rakyat negeri Selangor, tetapi juga kepada warga Kuala Lumpur dan Putrajaya.  Taman Warisan Selangor ini merupakan sumber air bagi penduduk Selangor, Kuala Lumpur dan Putrajaya, dan dengan itu menjadi asas kehidupan penduduk konurbasi Kuala Lumpur.  Ia akan melindungi tanah tinggi dan bercerun supaya tidak menghakiskan sungai-sungai yang bermula dari kawasan Taman Warisan ini….

Teks Ucapan

YAB Dato’ Seri Dr. Mohamad Khir Bin Toyo

Dato’ Menteri Besar Selangor

Di Majlis Pelancaran Taman Warisan Selangor

 ….Degan pengisytiharan kawasan ini sebagai Taman Warisan di bawah pengurusan perbadanan Taman Negeri Selangor, jaminan diberikan bahawa ia akan kekal hijau buat selama-lamanya apa juga berlaku kawasan in tidak akan dibangunkan…

Kita mahu Selangor maju dengan mengekalkan sekurang-kurang kehijauan pada tahap 30 peratus.

Taman ini bukan sahaja sejajar dengan Dasar Kepelbagaian Bio-diversiti Negara tetapi juga bagi menjamin kemapanan sumber asli serta melindungi kawasan-kawasan sensitif alam sekitar selari dengan komitmen kerajaan Negeri ke arah melaksanakan Agenda 21 Selangor….

Seperti yang kita sama-sama maklum, kawasan hutan (ini) dikenalpasti sebagai Kawasan Sensitif Alam Sekitar…

Kelima-lima sungai utama di Selangor…berpunca dari kawasan yang kini dikenali sebagai Taman Warisan Selangor ini.  Dengan menjadikan kawasan hutan itu sebagai Taman Warisan yang tidak boleh diteroka, kita dapat menjamin bahawa kawasan tadahan air utama bagi Lembah Klang ini dilindungi buat selama-lamanya…

…kawasan Taman Warisan Selangor ini sangat kaya dengan spesis semula jadi…ada antara tumbuhan dan hidupan liar di dalam Taman ini dianggap sangat unik dan jarang ditemui.  Dengan menjadikan kawasan seluas 107,000 hektar ini sebagai Taman yang dilindungi, maka kepelbagaian biologi yang terdapat didalamnya, dapat dijamin dari pupus buat selama-lamanya.  Dengan itu, fungsi-fungsi ekologi flora dan fauna, serta pembentukan-pembentukan geologi kawasan itu, akan kekal mengikut hukum alam buat selama-lamanya…

Let's hope in 2011, these promises will be kept.  Once again, Happy New Year!

If you would like a copy of the full speech, that was included in the press kit on the launch day, please email to treateveryenvironmentspecial@gmail.com.  

Species of the Month - the Hornbill

There are 10 species of hornbill found in Malaysia.  Six species have been recorded in the forests of the Selangor State Park (Taman Warisan  Negeri Selangor). 

The hornbill is a beautiful bird, famous for the large casque which forms on the top of its beak or bill. The bill is usually a striking colour, and the size and shape of this bill varies between the species.  While the casque looks bulky, it is not solid but filled with a cellular tissue and air pockets, so it is not as heavy as it appears.

Most hornbills have black, white or gray plumage, and beautiful, thick eyelashes that most women would die for! Hornbills may live to be more than 40 year old.  They can fly great distances and when flying, they wind against their wings produces a distinctive sound.

Hornbills mate for life.  The female hornbill will lay her eggs in the hollow of a tree, which is sealed up until only her beak can poke out of the hole to receive food from the male. The male is kept extremely busy supplying food for his mate and offspring. During the course of an hour he may visit the nest up to twenty times to supply food.

The main food sources for the hornbill are berries and fruit. However, they will also eat small living rodents. The bird does have a reputation as a fussy eater, however, and will wait to eat fruit only once it has fully ripened.

The six species that have been recorded in Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor are:

Aceros comatus, the White-crowned Hornbill;

Aceros undulatus, the Wreathed Hornbill;

Annorhinus galeritus, the Bushy crested Hornbill;

Buceros bicornis, the Great Hornbill;

Buceros vigil, the Helmeted Hornbill;

And Buceros rhinoceros, the Rhinoceros Hornbill.

The Hornbill is the national symbol of Sarawak. Hornbills can be found in many countries in Asia, down through to the Solomon Islands, and in Africa.  In Malaysia, most species of hornbill are threatened and all are listed as protected species under Malaysian law.

The pressure of encroaching development in Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor is a real threat to these magnificent species who make their home in the Park.  By reducing development and fragmentation of the forest, we can help ensure there is sufficient range for the hornbills to continue to live and breed in Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor and throughout Malaysia. 

The photos here are from the website of the Department of Wildlife & National Park Malaysia.  Read more about Hornbills at their  DWNP website

Happy Holidays!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas holiday and a very Happy New Year!

Let's hope that in 2011, the Selangor State Government fulfills its promise to complete the gazettement of the Selangor State Park.  To date, over 93,000 ha has been gazetted under the National Forestry Act Selangor Enactment 2005.  This includes the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge and some of the surrounding forests of the Ridge.  However, there still remains about 15,200 ha to be gazetted, so that the Park reaches the promised area of 108,300 ha.  Let's hope this gets done in 2011!

Happy Holidays!!

Nuclear Power Plants in Malaysia

Malaysia's nuclear energy plans - while it may not seem directly related to the Selangor State Park, forests and villages somewhere in Malaysia will be under threat with the location of 2 nuclear power plants and waste disposal sites...if the USA can't manage such disposal, what about Malaysia??

Nuclear Waste Piles Up Across USA - 138 million pounds

We need exact answers to these types of critical questions before the Malaysian public can decide if we are agreeable to building nuclear power plants in our country.

Not Wise to Prioritise Traffic Over Water Supply

In response to the following article:  Selangor Times - ORR to go Underground

Human activities in Selangor, KL and Putrajaya, as well as development along the borders of adjoining states, are putting tremendous pressure on the Park.  The proposed alignments of the KL Outer Ring Road, a major pressure on the Park, will jeapordise the critical functions the Park plays, particularly in water catchment and biodiversity.

A major portion of the Park has slopes greater than 25 degrees (class 3 slopes), with a significant area also greater than 35 degrees (class 4).  Furthermore, nearly the entire Park area can be classified a ‘very high’ soil erosion risk.  These areas, vulnerable to soil erosion and landslides especially during periods of prolonged rainfall, makes the Park unsuitable for development.

In 2005, JKR (Public Works Dept) announced 100 geo-hazard areas in Peninsular Malaysia, and the Ulu Klang mountain range – located within the Park - was one of the localities.  In fact, there have been about 8 major landslides since 1998 along the Ampang-Ulu Gombak forests around the Park – Highland Towers and the Genting Road being two of the great tragedies.

It is appalling that the KLORR project is going ahead despite the many objections raised by the residents and NGOs.   To-date little information is available on this massive project.  The detailed plans for the proposed road should be made easily available to the public immediately to study thoroughly.

A 200 metre tunnel to protect the Klang Gates Ridge is not enough.  The Selangor State Park is the main source of Selangor, Putrajaya and KL’s water supply.  This year there have been numerous articles in media quoting both Federal and State governments regarding a pending water shortage in Selangor.  It has been said that the current water sources in Selangor will not be able to provide enough water for its needs in the near future.  At the same time the Federal government is spending RM10 billion for the Pahang Selangor Water Transfer project to help meet the projected water demands. 

If this is the case, NGOs and residents are unable to understand the rationale behind the proposed KLORR, a major highway that will cut through the Park, specifically two water catchment areas, the Ulu Gombak Forest Reserve and Ampang Forest Reserve.  The Klang Gates Dam and the Ampang Intake that are fed by these two catchments supply water to the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur, the international face of the nation and the commercial, shopping and entertainment hub.

We are unable to accept that alleviating traffic congestion is more important than protecting the state’s and federal territories’ water supply.

There are many solutions to the traffic problem including an integrated and efficient public transport system and upgrading of the existing roads.   What we need to do is to think outside the box rather than rely on old solutions that are short term with adverse environmental impacts.

It is also very disappointing to learn that the Town and Country Planning Department is supporting the project despite the road cutting through the Selangor State Park.   The department was the key government agency pushing for the establishment of the Park in partnership with TrEES   The proposed road also contradicts the department’s policy based on Agenda 21 Selangor and the National Physical Plan that were produced by the department.

TrEES will continue to oppose the project as we believe protecting the water supply for the present and future generations is more important than alleviating traffic congestion.  Selangor is currently self-sufficient in water.  Why does the state want to move from self- sufficiency to being dependant on other states to meet its water needs? 

We will continue to pressure the government at all levels to ensure that Selangor’s water supply is not jeopardised.  The state and federal government should also seek feedback from the residents on what can be done to alleviate the traffic problem besides building the KLORR. 

More Exciting News on TrEES' School Programme

Check out the article in Wednesday, 8 December, NST Streets section, on TrEES' School Programme - Connecting Communities to Taman Negeri Selangor - the Park that Provides Sustenance to Life in Selangor.

SMK USJ8 Students Bag Top Prize

TrEES is very proud of all the participants - students and teachers - for all their hard work!  Under the programme student project teams reached out to nearly 50,000 people - students, teachers and family members - to build awareness on the Park.  Teams collected over 100 tonnes of paper for recycling, managed to reduce the usage of styrofoam containers and disposable materials in the canteens, and installed simple yet inventive water saving devices to save water with every toilet flush and washing of hands.  All these efforts to help reduce the school communities' impacts on Taman Negeri Selangor.

Great work by everyone!  We look forward to 2011!

TrEES School Programme 2010 Draws to a Close

TrEES' School Programme for 2010 - Connecting Schools to Taman Negeri Selangor - came to a fantastic end with the Closing Ceremony on 11 November.  Student project teams celebrated their combined efforts to raise awareness on the importance of the Park among their school communities, and to inculcate the habit of 4Rs - re-think, reduce, reuse and recycle - water and waste.

Through the programme, student project teams managed to raise awareness to an estimate 50,000 people.  The teams also collected about 100 tonnes of material for recycling, installed water saving devices to save thousands of litres of water at their schools, and permanently reduce and stop the use of styrofoam and other disposables in their school canteens.  Students also carried out greening projects at their schools, to bring a bit of Taman Negeri Selangor into their neighborhood.  Truly a job well done by people so young!

The closing ceremony was held on 11 November 2010.  There were performances by SK SS17 and SMK Wangsa Melawati, and exhibition booths by the secondary schools.  Prizes were also given out to the top performing schools.

The winning primary school was SK SS17, Subang Jaya.  The top prize for secondary schools went to SMK USJ8.  Second prize went to SMK Section 18, Shah Alam.  Third prize went to SMK Wangsa Melawati.  Special merit prizes went to SMK Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Klang; SMK Presint 11(2); SMK USJ12, SMK Presint 16(1) and SMK Section 16, Shah Alam.

But to TrEES and the programme organisers, all the teams were winners, as they all did an outstanding effort to help protect and conserve Taman Negeri Selangor.

TrEES would like to thank all our programme partners - the Forestry Department of Selangor, the Department of Minerals and Geoscience Selangor/WP, Selangor Water Management Agency, the Ministry of Education and the Education Departments.  And to the programme funders - CIMB Foundation through its Community Links Programme.

TrEES looks forward to more fun in 2011!

Read more about it here..TrEES School Programme in the Sun

Site of the Month - Sg. Tua Recreational Forest

Sungai Tua Recreational Forest is one of the main gateways to Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor - the Selangor State Park.  This recreational park is located within the Hulu Gombak, central region of the Park (coordinates:  N03 19.91' E101 42.15').

Sg. Tua is a major tourist attraction in Selangor, and is very popular, especially on weekends and public holidays.  The Selangor Forestry Department has a site office at one of the main parking areas.  While most of the facilities at Sg Tua are managed by the Forestry Department, a few sites are managed by the local council, as well as a few private sites.

Facilities at the main site include camping grounds, a surau, picnicking and changing facilities.  And, of course, a beautiful river to swim in, with many rocks and boulders to add to the enjoyment.


The forests of Sg. Tua are primarily young, regenerating secondary forests.  The Saraca stream forest habitat is prominent here.  There are a small number of old-growth forest trees remaining here. 

Please take care of your Park - keep it clean!  TAKE ALL RUBBISH HOME WITH YOU.

Species of the Month - the Saraca or Gapis tree

Taman Negeri Selangor is the source of the major rivers in Selangor.  These rivers begin as small streams deep in the forests of the Park.  Streamside forests, also known as Saraca-streams, are particularly well developed in the southern half of the Park. 

The Saraca, or Gapis tree, Saraca cauliflora (Bean family Leguminosae), are common along the stream beds.  Their latticework root systems cover the stream banks, protecting the banks by slowing down the flow of the river, particularly after heavy rains.  The root-work also provides habitats for small anthropods including prawns.  The Saraca trees are a beautiful flora species of the Park.

Young gapis seedlings can be seen in along the sand banks of the streams. 

Volunteers Needed!

TrEES' School Programme - Connecting Schools to Taman Negeri Selangor - the Forests That Provide Sustenance to Life in Selangor is coming to a close.  On 11 November, all the participating schools and programme partners will celebrate the end of a very successful programme, with the Closing Ceremony.

Volunteers are needed to help with closing ceremony.  If you are free on Thursday, 11 November, and would like to help out, please send an e-mail to TrEES at treateveryenvironmentspecial@gmail.com , put "volunteer for closing ceremony" in the subject line.   For more information on TrEES, visit our website.

The school teams have put in a lot of hard work to spread the message on the Park, and to reduce their negative impact on the Park.  We hope you can help us make the closing a success.

No Park, No Water, No Life

The people and businesses of Selangor, KL and Putrajaya depend on Taman Negeri Selangor for our most basic needs of clean air, water and local climate stability.  The Park helps to maintain the quality of life we all enjoy, particularly the water we need and use everyday.

The forests of the Park are catchment for the upper reaches of the major rivers in Selangor (Sg. Bernam, Sg. Selangor, Sg. Klang and Sg. Langat).  These river basins cover almost the entire state of Selangor.  The Park is the origin of many smaller streams that merge to form larger rivers, including Sg. Kerling, Sg. Batang Klang, and Sg. Semenyih, that feed these major rivers.

The Park area also feeds the 5 reservoirs that provide 98% of the water supply to Selangor, KL and Putrajaya.  That is why we say "No Park, No Water, No Life" !   These 5 reservoirs are:
Sg. Selangor Dam in the Sg. Selangor river basin,
Batu and Klang Gates Dams in the Sg. Klang river basin,
Langat and Semenyih Dams in the Sg. Langat river basin.

Recognising the importance of these forests as water catchment, the Forestry Department has double gazetted these areas also as 'catchment forest' under the National Forestry Act Enactment 2005 of Selangor, in addition to being gazetted as 'state park' under the same act.

While the state of Selangor is protecting the forests, the benefit is felt by the people and businesses in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya as well.  For example, the Klang Gates reservoir, with its pristine forest, supplies clean water to the downtown KL, the 'Golden Triangle', the commercial hub of the city.   Sadly, the forests that act as the catchment for the Klang Gates reservoir are threatened by the proposed KL Outer Ring Road.

Given the recent debate over whether Selangor will have enough water to supply the growing needs of residents and industries in the state, KL and Putrajaya, it would seem critical to strictly protect the Park given its vital importance in protecting the existing water supply of the nation's most prosperous region.

Residents Speak Up for the Park

This past Thursday, 21 October, over 200 residents, concerned youth and reps from NGOs attended the public hearing to voice their concerns about the plans in the Draft Local Plan for Ampang Jaya - not a bad turnout for a working day!

All of the residents and NGOs expressed their intense objections to the KL Outer Ring Road cutting through  Taman Negeri Selangor and the increasing development pressures on the Park, particularly the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge.

Some of those who attended pose for a photo
with posters objecting to the KLORR

There were a number of other proposals that the residents and NGOs strongly objected to including:

• a proposed incinerator
• TNB high tension wires planned along a steep hill and near housing in Tmn Bkt Segar Jaya area
• continued development plans on the steep, sensitive slopes of the entire Ampang area
• the intensity of new housing and other developments that are destroying the greenery and overall quality of life throughout the areas of Ampang
• the increasing human-wildlife "conflicts" due to the lack of green space and conversion of green spaces to development, leaving no room for the wildlife
• increasing developments along river reserves
• the extremely small amount of green-recreational space (less than 5%) throughout the Ampang area

Chairman of the hearing En. Iskandar Abdul Samad (State Exco) said that the objections would be discussed at the State Planning Committee in December.

Many thanks must be given to the residents, young people and NGO groups that took the time to attend the hearing and speak up for the Park, the environment and our overall quality of life.  Many thanks must also be given to everyone who wrote in objections earlier this year, again, calling for the better protection of the Selangor State Park and the environment in general.  Thanks must also be given to the government for hearing us.  Now we must see if they ACT on our concerns.  

Read more about what happened during the hearing on  Malaysiakini's Komunitikini  and The Star Metro

Taman Negeri Selangor Needs YOU to Take Action!

Taman Negeri Selangor needs YOU to take action!  A public hearing will be held on 21 October relating to the Ampang Jaya Draft Structure Plans that came out at the end of 2009. 

In the Draft Plan, the alignment of the KL Outer Ring Road was shown to cut through the centre of the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge, and bisect the length of the Ampang Forest Reserve - both of which are critical habitats of the Park.   For more details click here

Putting a major highway through the middle of environmentally sensitive areas, critical to water supply and recently gazetted as a 'state park' seems to be an extreme contradiction in planning.

This is your chance to speak up for the Park.  Details of the hearing are as follows:

Thursday, 21 October 2010
9 - 11.30 am (session 1)
Auditorium, 5th Floor, Menara MPAJ
MPAJ

The reply form is below, IF you wish to fax to MPAJ your attendance.  Let's all speak up to keep this important forest intact - for the security of our quality of life.

Fieldtrip fun to Sg. Tua

A bus load of students from SK Tun Abdul Razak, Kuala Kubu Baru had an amazing experience at Sg. Tua Recreation Forest on Tuesday, 15 October, under TrEES School Programme.

The good time included discovering amazing things in the forest while jungle trekking, finding small creatures such as prawns and crabs to test the stream ecology and a refreshing swim in Sg. Tua.


Many thanks to the students and teachers of SK TAR.  Thank you to Yayasan Bursa for sponsoring the activity.  Thank you to the Forestry Department and LUAS for running excellent activities during trip!

Fieldtrip fun to Sg. Tekala

They're at it again!  The final batch of schools participating in TrEES' Connecting Schools to Taman Negeri Selangor Programme are having a fantastic time experiencing the wonders of the Park through the fieldtrips, sponsored by CIMB Foundation!

After a lot of hard work spreading the message of the importance of Taman Negeri Selangor, the student project teams are able to enjoy the beauty of the Park!  Students on today's trip were from SMK Putrajaya Precinct 16(1) and SMK PP 11(2), SMK Taman Melawati and Wangsa Melawati.

Activities included a 2 hour jungle trek, stream ecology and river swim.  The rain didn't deter any of the students from having a great time.  In fact, many of the students seem to really enjoy hiking and wading in the river, in the rain!

This Thursday will see the final batch of schools under the programme enjoy their fieldtrip - SMK PP11(1), SMK PP 9(2), SMK BUD3 and SMK Section 18.

Many thanks to the programme partners - the Selangor Forestry Department, Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (LUAS), and to the funders, CIMB Foundation Community Links Programme.

And many thanks to the students, teachers and schools for all their hard work and dedication.

 

Site of the Month - Sungai Tekala Recreation Forest

Sungai Tekala Recreation Forest is a charming picnic spot located at the southern most end of the Park, near the Semenyih Dam, in Hulu Langat.  The site is famous for the lovely river, Sungai Tekala, that flows through the site, and for the magnificent forest that surrounds it.   (see also recreation sites in & around the Park )

The river itself is rough in some places, with a few small falls and pools. But there is also a large area where the river flattens out and makes for a very gentle, shallow swimming area - making it a perfect location for family outings.

The forests within Sg. Tekala Recreation Forest are beautiful, with some magnificent old growth trees including Jelutong, Chengal and other individuals, some that are well over 100 years old!  In 2003 there was an exciting addition to science with the discovery of a new stream-side adapted dipterocarp tree species Vatica yeechongii found growing in the Sg. Tekala Recreation Forest area.

The site is managed by the Selangor Forestry Department.  They do a very good job keeping the area clean - especially given Malaysian's bad littering habit!  The site also has basic changing and toilet facilities.

There is a small auditorium and forest species garden plot, available only for pre-arranged group visits, that makes the site an excellent place for school fieldtrips.  Treat Every Environment Special (TrEES), together with the Forestry Department, has run over 20 fieldtrips at Sg. Tekala over the past few years, with the schools that participate in TrEES' Taman Negeri Selangor School Programme.

The Sg. Tekala Recreation Forest is open everyday to the public.  Weekends and public holidays the site can get very crowded.  There is a small admission fee, to help maintain the cleanliness of the area.  For more information on visiting the site, contact the Selangor Forestry Department.  For more information on the school programme, contact Treat Every Environment Special (TrEES).

So the next time you want a family outing, skip the shopping mall and take a drive to Sg. Tekala Recreation Forest, Taman Negeri Selangor, and experience your living heritage!

GPS Coordinates:

3°03'31.9"N 101°52'22.2"E

Want to read more about Sg. Tekala Recreation Forest:
safiansaidi.blogspot.my - TWNS Sg Tekala

Hikes to Waterfalls in the Park

Waterfall Survivors are organising trips to waterfall sites in the Park, in the Hulu Langat region.  One is the Perdik Falls on Sunday, 26 Sept at 7 am.  The other trip is to Lepok Falls on Saturday, 2 Oct. also at 7am.

You can visit their site on Facebook at waterfall.survivors  for more information.

You can also visit Waterfalls of Malaysia for more details on the two waterfalls.  The photos below are from Waterfalls of Malaysia.

Species of the Month - the Malayan Tiger

The Malayan tiger, Panthera tigris jacksoni,

In the 1950’s there were around 3,000 tigers
In 2008 there were estimated to be 500 tigers
In 2014, that number dropped to 250 – 300
How many remain in 2017?

The Malayan tiger population is under serious threat in Malaysia, and it is listed as Critically Endangered under IUCN.

Poaching along with forest fragmentation and habitat loss are major factors in this drastic population decline.

The world over, there are estimated to be only 3,000 – 4,000 wild tigers, with half of them found in India.  In fact, there are less tigers in the wild than there are in zoos in the U.S.

While Malaysia and other tiger countries around the world are trying to increase the tiger population – with world wide aim of 6,000 wild tigers by 2020, with the threat of poaching and forest loss so strong, it is unlikely the tiger populations will even be able to maintain their current numbers, let alone increase.

While powerful creatures and stealthy hunters, tigers instinctively try to avoid humans and will only attack people if they are provoked, injured or unable to hunt their usual food. The Malayan tiger is found in  Peninsula Malaysia and southern Thailand.

Tigers are carnivores, with their favourite prey being wild boar and deer.  They are solitary creatures except during mating time, or as a mother with young cubs.  They are extremely territorial, and a male tiger may roam a territory more than 50 sq km while a female may have a territory of about 20 sq km.  No two tigers have the same stripe pattern.

In Peninsula Malaysia, tigers prefer the lowland dipterocarp forests as their primary habitat, which is the main forest type of Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor.

The Malayan tiger may roam in and out of the Park, in search of food.  With the tiger sightings around the Fraser's Hill area in 2005,  the northern forests of Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor have been classified as tiger habitat under the Selangor Structure Plan.  Tigers may also roam in and out of other sections of the Park, particularly the large tracts of forest, including the Hulu Langat area in the south.

Tigers cannot speak for themselves.  They cannot ask for help, for better protection from the government.  We have to do that for them.

You can help protect the Malayan tiger and other threatened species.
• Don’t buy products or medicines made from wild animals
• Reduce your consumption habits
• Speak up for the protection of forests and wildlife

If you seen any one selling wild animals or parts of wild animals, please call the Department of Wildlife and National Park (DWNP) immediately at 1-800-88-5151 or  03-9086 6800 (office hours).  Please write letters to the government and articles to the newspapers to express your concern over the illegal trade in wildlife.

Every little bit you do makes a big difference!

To learn more, please read:
Malayan Tiger Population Plunges

About Tigers

To learn more about efforts to protect our magnificent Malayan tiger, please visit:
Tx2 - Double the Number of Tigers

Also, please sign the petition to stop the KL Outer Ring Road from fragmenting the forests of Taman Negeri Selangor:
Stop the KLORR from Damaging Taman Negeri Selangor

Selamat Hari Raya!

Wishing a Selamat Hari Raya and Selamat Bercuti to all!

Enjoy the holidays!!

Check Out the BFM Podcast on Taman Negeri Selangor

From the BFM website:

TrEES (Treat Every Environment Special) is on a mission to save the Selangor State Park. They, like many other concerned citizens and NGO's, are troubled by the proposal to align the Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road across the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge and through the Selangor State Park.

Leela Panikkar and Christa Hashim, co-directors of TrEES, tell us more about the government's development plans, the consequences of cutting down and through the national park, and why this magnificent park must be saved.

TrEES Talk About TNS on BFM

Happy MERDEKA !!

This country's wealth was built largely on the abundant natural resources Malaysia stores - timber and tin, our rich coastline for ports and fishing.

Our country continues to depend on our abundant natural resources to support our economy.  Without the most basic building blocks such as water and biodiversity provided by places like Taman Negeri Selangor we could not enjoy our current lifestyles and grand prosperity.

So this Merdeka Day, remember to say 'Thank you' to the unsung heroes of Malaysia - the forests, rivers, swamps and seas, the plants, animals and insects - the rich natural heritage that makes this country so beautiful and so plentiful!

Thanks Taman Negeri Selangor.  Thank you Malaysia's natural environment!

Site of the Month - the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge

Resembling the back of a dragon, the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge is a world-class geological wonder and a key feature of Taman Negeri Selangor.  It provides a breathtaking backdrop to the northern Klang Valley.

Made up entirely of milky white quartz, it is one of the longest quartz outcrops of its kind in the world, measuring about 14 km above ground and up to 50 metres wide at some points.  It is estimated to be 170 million years old.

The Ridge system is not limited to the rocky whitish body.  It incorporates the side slopes that break from the foot of the exposed body.  The beautiful vegetation along the Ridge is adapted to the harsh, thin and infertile sandy soil weathered from the quartz.

There are 5 species of plants found here that occur nowhere else in the world.  These include the tree Ilex praetermissa, the herb Borreria pilulifera and the grass Eulalia milsumii.  The vegetation is vulnerable to disturbance by small clearings, burning and trampling by visitors who climb the trails along the Ridge.

The Klang Gates Quartz Ridge is also the sanctuary of the serow, the wild mountain goat known as kambing gurun.  The serow also ranges into the adjoining forests, thus requiring a larger area than just the Ridge to survive. 

In the small natural gap between the two main sections of the Ridge, the Klang Gates Dam was constructed in 1958.  Only a small concrete wall had to be constructed as the Dam wall is anchored into the quartz foundation.  Thus the Ridge itself is also critical in keeping the Klang Gates Dam and Reservoir in place.

There is a small swimming and picnicking spot at the foot of the dam, at the back end of Taman Melawati.  Sadly, it is not very well maintained but is still very much enjoyed by the local community.  There are also trails which lead up onto the Ridge.  However, the trails are very steep and dangerous, a number of people have died over the years-even experience hikers-while trekking along the Ridge.  If you decide to go, be sure to go with someone who is experienced in hiking the Ridge.

The Ridge is also under threat from the pressure of development, with housing now right up to its foot slopes and the KL Outer Ring Road proposed to run parallel to the Ridge and possibly cut through the Ridge or run behind the Ridge.

The Klang Gates Quartz Ridge is truly a magnificent geological wonder.  It is the key feature of Taman Negeri Selangor and it deserves our respect and our efforts to help protect it!

As at Jan 2017:  The trails along the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge are temporarily CLOSED to the public, due to the dangers along the trail.  Please be advised that the public is currently NOT allowed along the trail.

Please keep this magnificent hallmark of Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor clean!  Do NOT leave ANY LITTER in the Park!


GPS Coordinates:

3°14'05.9"N 101°44'51.9"E

Want to read another article about the KGQR?  visit:

travelledpaths.com - Klang Gates Quartz Ridge TWNS