Activities Report Jan 2000 Newsletter
Belum Forest Reserve-the State Park
The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) congratulates
the MenterI Besar of Perak, YAB Tan SrI RamlI Ngah Talib on the very commendable
move to protect the Belum Forest Reserve from any development. This is
a welcome and important move, as it complements the transboundary parks
in Thailand and the Ulu Muda forest Reserve.
With Taman Negara representing the flora
of central Peninsular Malaysia and the Endau Rompin, with its West Borneo
influence representing the southern end, Belum fits the missing piece perfectly
for representing the northern flora.
The importance of the Belum Area (which
includes the Temenggor, and Grik Forest Reserves) has long been the concern
of MNS as well as other NGOs and the public. Since the MNS Belum I (1993/4)
and Belum II expeditions (1998), MNS has discovered a unique habitat, rich
and diversified in wildlife and plants, one of which is the interesting
discovery of the rare Rafflesia flower. Many big mammals have been sighted
in this undisturbed area, such as the seladang, elephants, tigers and tapirs,
along with evidence of the endangered Sumatran rhinoceros.
Belum with its neighbouring reserves,
is large enough to be impactful for conservation. However, with the increasing
wildlife population as reported by MOSTE earlier, there is a need for animal
corridors for the migration and expansion of territory within the species.
As such, ideally, to allow for such migration and better ‘gene-mixing’,
the Belum Forests should be linked up with the adjoining forest reserves
in Kelantan and Pahang by a series of protected corridors. These reserves
will finally be in reality the sanctuaries for wildlife and flora in Peninsular
Malaysia.
These forests along the Main Range are
already catchment areas for major rivers in Perak, Kelantan and Pahang.
Logging has reached the foot of these mountainous regions. They are also
too steep for agriculture, and with high erosion risk for development a
better function is to protect them as conservation areas and animal corridors.
Other states adjoining the Main Range, such as Pahang and Kelantan should
set aside more areas for conservation and emulate the Perak example.
The protection of forests is an investment
in our future and is crucial for our own survival. The forest is a reservoir
of pharmaceutical products, wild food stocks, natural pesticide and herbicide,
natural fibres, wood products, eco-tourism, apart from performing the natural
cycle systems of air, water, rain and nitrogen, fundamental to our continued
existence.
Dato Dr Salleh Mohd Nor Letter to the Editor, Kuala
Lumpur, 16/11/99
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Created on 15th Jan 2000