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.