KL Outer Ring Road Detailed EIA is Out for Public Comment

The DOE has posted the the announcement for the KLORR DEIA (KL Outer Ring Road Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment) in the DOE Website.

We've had a quick look so far at the Executive Summary.  The Selangor State Park is not mentioned in the Executive Summary.  Instead they have stated that the road will affect forest reserves i.e Hulu Gombak Forest Reserve, Ampang Forest Reserve and Hulu Langat Forest Reserve and that the whole forest reserve area affected will be 214.7 ha.

Documents can be viewed from 12 Dec 2011 to 9 Jan 2012.  The Executive Summary can be downloaded from the DOE website.  The list of locations where documents can be viewed is also given in the DOE website.

Deadline for submission of comments is 23rd January 2012.

Written comments must be submitted to:
    Director General 
    Department of Environment
    Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
    Level 2, Podium 3, Wisma Sumber Asli
    No.25, Persiaran Perdana 
    62574 PUTRAJAYA
    (Attn: Assessment Division –DEIA Secretariat)
    Tel : 03-8871 2000, Fax : 03-8889 1045

This is your chance to speak up for the Park and the creatures that live within it, as well as to protect our quality of life that the Park provides.  Don't wait for someone else to take action.   You can email to TrEES is you'd like to share your comments, thoughts and findings.

Celebrate the Park - Map of Activities

Come and Join the FUN!!

Details on the Celebration - 19 November 2011

Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor does so much to protect the quality of our lives.  Come and celebrate our magnificent Park this Saturday, 19 November, at Ampang Recreational Forest.

All activities are FREE to the public, and are on a first come, first serve basis.  There will be guided jungle treks, stream ecology fun, nature craft, face painting, fun games and more.  Activities run from 10 am until 12 noon.

A Heritage Hunt will be run in conjunction with the celebration, too.  Registration for the Heritage Hunt begins at 8.30am.  Flag-off will be at 9.30 am.  Participation is on a first come-first serve basis.

To better enjoy the day, we recommend you bring the following:

·       Appropriate attire for running, trekking and water based activities.  The public is welcome to  fully with nature, so please expect to get wet.

·       Change of clothes is advisable including towel, slippers and bag

·       Pens or pencil for the Hunt

·      Drinking water  

·       Enough snacks or energy snacks to enjoy the day

·       1 basic First Aid Kit for each team.

·       Insect or mosquito repellent

·       Sunblock lotion (optional)

Heritage Hunt Format

Only teams can participate in this Hunt.  Each team must consist of 3-4 team members.  Please refer to the attached pages for detail rules on team requirements.

Top placing in each category will be awarded with monetary prizes.  Below are the categories and the prizes. 

General/Family -    1^st prize  :  RM1,000

Youth -    1^st prize  :  RM1,000  

(The parent must sign the registration-indemnity form for all participants under the age of 18 years)

There are 10 checkpoints in the Heritage Hunt.  On registration, each team will receive a passport with 10 checkpoints listed on it.    After successfully completing a checkpoint, the checkpoint marshall will chop that particular checkpoint in the passport.  

Contestants need to successfully go through all 10 checkpoints in order to emerge the winners.  All teams are given a maximum time of 2 hours to complete all challenges and present themselves at the finish line.  All decisions by the organisers are final.   Protests will not be entertained under any circumstances

Registration

Teams can register by emailing details to treateveryenvironmentspecial@gmail.com or register on the race day itself.  The registration will open by 8.30am.

Celebrate the Park on 19 November at Ampang Forest

Come and join the fun on Saturday, 19 November, from 9 am - 1.30 pm.  There will be games, a Heritage Hunt with cash prizes, and so much more.

Email to  TrEES  if you would like to register for the Heritage Hunt, or if you need more information.

How to get there:
If you have a large group of 30 or more, TrEES may be able to help organise a bus, so send us an email.

otherwise:

1. By train: Take the Rapid KL train (Ampang line) from the Masjid Jamek station and get off at the last station which is Ampang itself. From here, you could either take a taxi directly there or take a bus to Lembah Jaya Utara (U332 – you have to cross the road to get to the bus stop though). However, if you choose to take the bus, you’ll have to walk a bit farther up to get to the picnic spot. 


2. Take the U332 bus from KL itself (near KLCC) and yes, you still have to walk a bit… about 20-30 minutes, more or less. 

3.  By car – just stay on Jalan Ampang until the very, very end (heading out of the city, towards Ampang).  It winds through a small kampong, and then you’ll end up at the parking lot.

New Alignment Continues to Threaten Water Security

From the NST

Judging from media reports, it appears that the KLORR will now cut through the Hulu Gombak Forest Reserve, in addition to the Ampang Forest Reserve, both of which are water catchment forests gazetted as part of Taman Warisan Negeri Selangor.

Under the original alignment of the highway, the KLORR was going to cut through the Klang Gates Quartz Ridge and run over the Klang Gates Dam.  This alignment was criticized by residents and environment organizations for many reasons.  Two prime reasons were the globally unique ridge, and the other was water security.

Reports seem to indicate the building of a tunnel in the vicinity of the Ridge of which the impact on the Ridge is unknown.  The new alignment still poses a very real threat to water security for Kuala Lumpur and in fact increases the threat.  The Hulu Gombak Forest Reserve, which earlier was not affected by the KLORR, now appears to be cut through by the expressway.

It is often mistakenly thought that keeping land in their original forested state is lost economic opportunities that could have been gained by “developing” the forest into something more usable by people. 

Studies have shown that economically speaking, if the water from a forest catchment is supplied to the local population, the best land use option for the forested area was protection, as opposed to use for purposes such as timber extraction, or building a road.

These studies have shown that the benefits of clearing the forest were lower than the additional costs of water treatment.  The removal of forests will increase the sedimentation in the rivers due to heavy soil erosion on the steep slopes, and increase the levels of pollution of the rivers due to road run-off – increasing costs for water treatment, possibly even jeopordising the ability to treat the water at all. 

Over the years, the state government has felt the Hulu Gombak forest reserve was a critical water catchment area, so much so that the area has been triple gazetted – as ‘state park’ and ‘water catchment’ under the National Forestry Act, Selangor Enactment, as well as ‘water catchment’ under the Selangor Waters Management Authorities  Enactment 1999.

 

Furthermore, it is even more disheartening to learn that the new alignment is purported based on the concerns raised by residents and NGOs.  The new alignment does nothing to reduce these concerns.  Claiming that the new alignment does address our concerns is very misleading.

Keeping the Selangor State Park in its natural forested state is actually saving the country billions of ringgit through the services the Park provides to the country, for free.  The KLORR will result in profits that will really benefit only a few.

Phobaeticus serratipes - that's one big bug!

Kingdom:  Animalia

Phylum Arthropoda

Class:  Insecta

Order:  Phasmatodea

Family:  Phasmatidae

Genus:  Phobaeticus

Species:  serratipes

Phobaeticus serratipes (formerly known as Pharnacia serratipes)  is one species of stick insects.  It is endemic to Peninsular Malaysia.  And it is one big bug! (although technically, it is not a bug, but I can’t help myself!)

At one time, Phobaeticus serratipes was known as the longest insect in the world, with one female being recorded at 555mm (with legs fully extended).  However, specimens of Phobaeticus chani and Phobaeticus kirbyi have now been recorded as longer.

This insect likes warm and humid weather.  It is nocturnal, and lies still during the day, using its body shape as camouflage. It takes 4-5 months for their eggs to hatch.  Females are commonly green or brown.  Males are much shorter than females, and have a blue and black stripe along the sides of the thorax.  The males have wings but cannot fly.

Phobaeticus serratipes are plant eaters, feeding on leaves and berries.  It has the unusual ability of partial regeneration, where if a leg is lost, it will grow back after several successful molts.

Phobaeticus serratipes is a popular species that is raised in captivity, with a lot of on-line discussion and exchange going on.   But it’s IUCN threat status is not evaluated. 

If you see a stick insect in the wild, admire it but do not disturb it.  Let’s hope that this beautiful insect is thriving in the wild, including the Park!

Sources of info:

www.phasmidsincyberspace.com

wikipedia.org

and the Selangor Forestry Department

Sites in the Park Ranked as Top Hiking Destinations!

The STAR sent out mass e-mails to nature buffs and eco-tour guides to determine the top spots for hiking, biking, paddling and climbing in Malaysia.  And proudly, at least 2 sites within the Park are the top hiking spots in Selangor!  (read the article )

The Klang Gates Quartz Ridge topped the list for both the best hiking spot in the Klang Valley (particularly the western section, known as Bukit Tabur) and for the best mountain biking spot (the trails along the foot slopes at the eastern section, around Kemensah).

Gunung Nuang, the highest mountain in Selangor, was also rated top hiking spot in the Klang Valley, especially as a training ground for tougher hikes like Mt. Kinabalu.

Both locations are very popular with outdoor enthusiasts, and both offer exciting challenges while enjoying nature's beauty.  Sadly, these areas in particular are under a lot of pressure from human activities and development, so we've got to act to protect them as much as we enjoy them.

So it's time to leave the shopping malls behind, and get out and enjoy the beauty of Taman Negeri Selangor!

We’ve Got to Do Our Part – Rethink, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!

Yet another worrying article in the newspapers, this time, it’s on  solid waste

According to the government, Malaysians are already throwing nearly 27,000 tonnes of rubbish every day.  And it is expected that we will reach 30,000 tonnes per day well before 2020!  Nearly all of this waste is going to landfills.  But out of the 166 landfills in the country, only EIGHT are sanitary landfills!

No one wants to live near a landfill.  So of course the government must look for sites that are away from residential areas…and that can mean the forest and other natural areas.

The quality of our lives depends on our natural resources, and in Selangor, particularly those found in Taman Negeri Selangor.  Our consumption of goods and our lifestyle overall have an impact on the Park and forests in general.

Taman Negeri Selangor is located immediately eastward from the country’s largest urban complex.  The Forestry Department cannot manage the Park sustainably without the cooperation of the residents of Selangor and beyond.

It is we, the people, who will ultimately influence the Park’s proper management and conservation.  To play our part in conserving the Park and protecting the environment overall, we should remember these simple steps and apply to our daily habits:

1. Rethink how we live and how it affects the environment:

• When we buy an item, think about where it comes from and where it will go to once we finish with it.
• Think about the company that makes the item and ask if they have a good environmental track record

2.  Reduce our consumption of resources:

• By conserving water and energy, we reduce the need to build more dams, which flood our forests and destroy habitats and communities.
•  By reducing what we throw away, we use fewer materials and save land from becoming landfills.
•  By trying to reduce our dependency on cars, we reduce the need to construct more and more highways, which often cut through the forest and disrupt communities.

3.  Re-use and recycle as much as possible

• Re-using and recycling materials such as plastic bottles and paper reduces the need for raw materials, which come from natural resources such as trees.

There are lots of places to get more info.  To get started, you can visit the  TrEES website  for a list of recycling centres in the Klang Valley.  To learn more about how to compost at home, and to learn about home cleaning alternatives, click here .  

Let's all do our part!

KLORR - Financial Close Means that Work Could Commence Soon

Based on an article that appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on 11 August 2011, the Terengganu-based construction outfit Ahmad Zaki Resources Bhd (AZRB) has reached financial close with Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Bhd for the RM1.5 billion KL Outer Ring Road (KLORR) project. Financial close is the last hurdle before funds can be drawn down to commence work on a project.  


This could indicate that AZRB is finalising details of the concession agreement with the government and that work on the project could commence soon. 


According to the article, AZRB was given the letter of intent to undertake the project back in 2008, building the 40km stretch from Sungai Long to University Islam Antarabangsa in Gombak, linking up with the South Klang Valley Expressway and Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selangor Expressway, among others.  

The article further stated that the KLORR job could be a boost for AZRB. As at end-March this year, AZRB had an order book of RM1.06 billion. Some of the more prominent jobs were the design and building of Complex Kerja Raya 2 in Jalan Sultan Salahuddin, Kuala Lumpur, for RM266 million, packages 2, 6, 5A and 9C of the East Coast Highway amounting to some RM207 million and Universiti Darul Imam package 3 building works valued at RM192 million.

As per the article, AZRB is 59.24% controlled by Zaki Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd. Zaki Holdings is the vehicle of Datuk Seri Wan Zaki Wan Muda, the executive vice-chairman of AZRB, managing director Datuk Wan Zakariah Wan Muda and executive director Datuk Wan Zulkifli Wan Muda.

To date, the public has no clear picture of where the exactly KLORR highway will be built, aside from the simple line drawn on the map of the Draft Local Plan Ampang Jaya 2020.  Based on articles that have appeared in the newspapers since the Draft Plans were released, this alignment may be changed, but no information on other proposed alignments have been offered to the public. 

Over 1,000 residents sent in their written objections to the alignment of the KLORR back in 2009, through the public feedback sought under the Draft Local Plan Ampang Jaya 2020.   Communities are very concerned about the impacts the KLORR highway will have on the forests of Taman Negeri Selangor,  the water supply to Selangor and KL, and the neighborhoods that will be affected. 

Looking at other highways, the KLORR will most likely require a wide swath of forest to be cleared for its construction.

Kajang to Seremban Highway:

Karak Highway:

Retaining walls:

There has to be a better solution to the traffic problem, than putting a highway through critical water catchment areas!  

Selamat Hari Raya, Selamat Hari Merdeka & Selamat Bercuti!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday break!

Once you've stuffed yourself with lemang, rendang and pineapple tarts, why not get some fresh air and exercise.  Visit one of the many recreational sites in the Park.

Find the site closest to you:

Recreational Sites In & Around the Park

ENJOY!

Wild Boars - Eurasian Wild Pigs

Order : ARTIODACTYLA
Family : Suidae
Species : Sus scrofa

Head-Body Length : Males up to 1.5 metres
Height : Males up to 0.8 metres
Tail Length : Males up to 300 cm
Weight : Males up to 200 kg, females are smaller

Wild Boar / Eurasian Wild Pig

If you live in a residential community that borders along Taman Negeri Selangor, there is a good chance you have seen a Wild Boar or Eurasian Wild Pig coming out of the forest to forage in grassy areas of your neighborhood in the late evening.

The Eurasian Wild Pig inhabits primary and secondary forest, but, as mentioned above, it will also forage in adjacent cleared or agricultural areas. In parts of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore the species occurs in mangroves.   It is found within Taman Negeri Selangor.

The Eurasian Wild Pig has one of the widest geographic distributions of all terrestrial mammals, and this range has been greatly expanded by human agency. The species now occurs in pure wild or barely modified feral form on all continents excepting Antarctica, and on many oceanic islands.

Eurasian Wild Pigs are generally to be found in groups of up to 20, though adult males are often solitary.   Adults are dark grey to black, and juveniles brownish with distinctive horizontal stripes. Wild pigs are prolific breeders and apparently breed throughout the year. 

They are omnivorous, living on crops, roots, tubers, fruits and carrion. Other items commonly consumed by these pigs included soil, earthworms, roots and other vegetable matter and in mangrove areas, molluscs, crabs and other arthropods and even fishes.  They also enjoy domestic crops, and no animal is more destructive to crops than pigs. 

The Wild Pig is the ancestor of most (but not all) ancient and modern domestic pig breeds, and there is evidence to suggest that it was independently domesticated in several different parts of its range, including Southeast Asia.  The Eurasian Wild Pig, however, is greater size than its domesticated cousins.  And has a mane of bristly hairs extending along the back. The mane becomes erect when the animal is feeling threatened.

The Eurasian Wild Pig is a chief food source for tigers and leopards.  It is also a popular food item among humans.  The wild pig has constituted a primary resource of subsistence hunters since the earliest times, and it remains one of the most popular targets for recreational hunting wherever it remains sufficiently abundant.

Over-hunting and changes in land use have resulted in the fragmentation of its range and its extermination throughout the British Isles, Scandinavia, parts of North Africa, and relatively extensive parts of its range in the former Soviet Union. and northern Japan.

Nevertheless, the species remains widely distributed and is often locally abundant within the Peninsular and within the Park.  As a result of its depredations on crops it is regarded as a pest in many countries.

In the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Eurasian Wild Pig is categorized as “Least Concern” due to its wide range, abundance, tolerance to habitat disturbance, and presence in many protected areas.  Here in Malaysia, the wild pig is listed in the First Schedule, Part I, as a hunted Species, of the Wildlife Conservation Action 2010.  This means it is a “protected wildlife”  but it can be hunted with a license.

Despite its abundance, it can be an exciting treat to see a group of  wild pigs coming out of the forest in the evenings, to forage in along the grassy roadside, especially when there are young babies in the group – provided you are seeing them from the safety of your car!

  

Read more at (all information extracted from these sites):

Ecology Asia:

http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/mammals/wild_pig.htm

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species:

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/41775/0

Department of Wildlife and National Parks Malaysia

http://www.wildlife.gov.my/index.php/en/component/content/article/64-mamalia/378-mammals7

Wild Pigs:

http://wiienvis.nic.in/ungulatesofindia/pig.htm

Growing Population Depends on the Park

 It was interesting to read the findings, as reported in The Star newspaper, from the nationwide census conducted by the Statistics Department between July 6 and Aug 22, 2010. 

Based on the census findings, Selangor continued to be the most populated state, with 5.4 million or 19.3% of the country's population, followed by Johor with 3.3 million and Sabah at 3.2 million.  Putrajaya had the highest population growth during the 2000 to 2010 period, with 17.8%.

The findings also related that in tandem with the country's rapid development, the proportion of urban population increased to 71% in 2010 compared to 62% in 2000, with the highest levels of urbanization occurring in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, Selangor and Penang.

Given the concentration of Malaysia’s population that is living in Selangor, KL and Putrajaya, and the growing urbanization of the area, it would be most prudent that the government carefully guards the natural resources that support and sustain this population.

The most basic and critical resource to supporting this population is water.  It would seem very unwise of the government to jeopardize even one drop of the existing water supply, as it is currently sufficient to meet the needs of the population. Other areas of the country are growing rapidly, too, so we cannot expect to be able to send all of the Peninsula’s water resource to the Klang Valley alone.  The federal government will already be sending water from Pahang to Selangor, through the nearly RM11 billion Selangor-Pahang raw water transfer project.  What happens when Johor needs more water, too?

Given that the Selangor State Park is the source of nearly 98% of the water supply for Selangor, KL and Putrajaya, it would seem irresponsible of the government to jeopardize the forests of the Park, that protect this water supply.  Only if the forests of the Park remain healthy and intact, can the Park can continue to feed the 5 main reservoirs that supply the bulk of our current water that is needed to meet our existing demands, not to mention our growing future needs.

That is why TrEES, together with a number of other NGOs and residents groups, are against the alignment of the KL Outer Ring Road, a highway that is planned to cut through 2 water catchment areas of the Park.  One area is the Klang Gates Reservoir, which is the source of clean water for the Golden Triangle, KL.  The second catchment forest affected is the Ampang Forest, which supplies clean water to residents in the Ampang area.

Yes, the traffic is bad on the MMR2.  A solution needs to be found.  But prioritizing a highway over our water supply seems an extremely poor solution. 

Water is so critical to our lives.  The government needs to manage our water resources with great care and prudence, if we want to make sure there is enough water for our growing population.

Stand Up & Write

If you are concerned about the Park, the forests in Malaysia, and the environment in general, please stand up & write.

The forests, animals and plants cannot speak.  We need to speak for them.  Write a letter to voice your concerns.  Write to your ADUN, your MP, write to the PM, put a post on his facebook site, write to the newspapers and to your favorite blogger.

Here are some contacts, to help you get started!

Y.A.B. Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Abdul Razak
Prime Minister   Email:  ppm@pmo.gov.my  
FB:  http://www.facebook.com/najibrazak
 Najib Razak on Facebook

Y.B. Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas
Minister of Natural Resources and Environment
Email:  uggah@nre.gov.my
FB:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Douglas-Uggah-Embas/142244839119126
Douglas Uggah Embas on Facebook


Y.A.B. Tan Sri Dato' Abdul Khalid bin Ibrahim
Dato' Menteri Besar Selangor
Email:  mb14_selangor@yahoo.com
FB:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Abdul-Khalid-Ibrahim/38012338900?sk=wall
Abdul Khalid Ibrahim on Facebook

Malaysiakini          editor@malaysiakini.com

The Nut Graph      editor@thenutgraph.com

The Sun                 letters@thesundaily.com

The Star                 editor@thestar.com.my

Berita Harian         bhsurat@bharian.com.my

Sin Chew Jit Poh  info@sinchew-i.com

Fraser’s Hill – a fun family getaway

Many people don't realize it, but the forests in the Selangor section of Fraser’s Hill, and along the road that winds up to the hill resort, are part of Taman Negeri Selangor. 

It’s nicest to begin the experience from Kuala Kubu Bharu, a quaint government town that shouldn’t be missed on the way up to Fraser’s Hill.  Of course, KKB is not part of the Park, but it is lovely town that borders the Park, and is full of old buildings and history.

From KKB, you take the E55.  Driving up this windy road, you pass the Sungai Selangor dam. The Sungai Selangor reservoir is the largest supply of freshwater to residents in Selangor.  Completed in 2002, construction of dam itself was hotly protested, due to the rich forest, and community lands the reservoir inundated.  Now, as you drive along the road, it almost seems as if the dam always existed.

After the Sg. Selangor Dam, the road enters the forests of Taman Negeri Selangor.  These forests play a critical role as water catchment for the reservoir.   To the left and right you can see beautiful forest trees, which comprise the species-rich dipterocarp forests on hilly and mountainous terrain.  These area of the Park tends to be steep slopes of more than 45 degrees, and there is a general decline in the number of dipterocarps and an increase in non-dipterocarps such as Fagaceae, or commonly known as oaks, as you drive further up into the hills.

About half way through the journey you can take a break at the Sg. Semangkok Forest Recreation site.  It is a small waterfall and picnic area that is just at the road side, so there is no long walk to find the waterfall!  It can make for a nice place to take a few photos and stretch your legs.

Continuing on in the journey, you pass a small signboard that marks the site where the British High Commissioner in Malaya, Sir Henry Gurney, and his motorcade was ambushed by communists in 1951.  Thirteen British soldiers along with Sir Henry were killed in the attack. 

The Gap, a famous place to rest just before you make the final assent to Fraser’s Hill Resort, is sadly in a bad state.  It was closed down a few years ago.  According to the work sign, it was closed for restoration and renovation, but this seems to have been totally abandoned, and the old rest-house is deteriorating into quite an eye-soar.  On the opposite side of the road, a grand walking bridge was constructed.  Perhaps all the money for the renovations went into the bridge! While the bridge was recently completed, panels along parts of the side rails are already falling off, sad to say.

On our most recent trip up to Fraser’s Hill, you no longer need to wait at the Gap for the ‘odd-up’ or ‘even-down’ road closure.  The Gap road seems to be always open now for the drive UP to Fraser’s Hill, and the new road at the Pahang side is always open for the drive down. 

The Gap and Fraser’s Hill have always been popular places for birder watchers.  Bird species include six species of hornbill and the Great Argus Pheasant.   In the upper parts of the hill forests and lower montane forests, the giant fishtail palm Caryota maxima and the giant rattan Plectocomia griffithii create impressive sites.

The Gap road borders along the Fraser’s Hill Wildlife Reserve.  With the declaration of the gazettement of Taman Negeri Selangor, the forests of the wildlife reserve is now also gazetted as permanent forest reserve classified as part of the State Park.

The lower montane forests below and around Fraser’s Hill are rich in both plant and animal species.  One unusual plant species is the climbing bamboo Maclurochloa montana, and it is known only from a few sites in Peninsula Malaysia.  Wildlife in the Park around the Fraser's Hill area includes three species of gibbon, flying lemurs, slow loris.

In Fraser’s Hill itself, there are a number of great nature walks, fun activities, as well as just simply strolling along the sidewalks in the cool air, that make this spot a fun and refreshing break from the city.  On the Selangor side, you can stay at the Selangor Bungalow.  The Kindersley Trail also starts from the Selangor side, near the Methodist bungalow.

So the next time you need an overnight break from the city, drive up to Fraser’s Hill and experience the magnificence of Taman Negeri Selangor along the way!


GPS Coordinates:
The Gap:       3°41'34.5"N 101°44'54.8"E
Fraser's Hill, Selangor:       3.7073° N, 101.7377° E