| TAIPING (Malaysia) - Kuala Gula, which is noted for being one of the
resting points for migratory birds, will be proposed as the second "Ramsar"
site in the country after Tasik Bera in Pahang, said Science, Technology
and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Law Hieng Ding.
He said the mangrove forest located about 45 km from here, met the criteria stipulated by the Ramsar Convention, among them being a breeding and feeding place for water birds. "Under the proposal, efforts at rehabilitating the area would be intensified so that its natural beauty could be preserved," he said after launching the national level World Wetlands Day at Kuala Gula Friday. Also present was Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali. Ramsar, is a town in Iran which was the venue for the Ramsar Convention, that is the international agreement launched in 1971 aimed at conserving wetlands for universal benefits, especially for water birds. Malaysia was a signatory to the convention in 1994 and had listed Tasik
Bera,
The Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary or Kuala Gula Water Birds Conservation Centre located in the Kerian District is part of the Matang Forest Reserve which is famous as the best managed mangrove forest in the world. At the outset of winter, water birds from the affected areas will stop here and they have been identified as having flown from China, Europe and Japan in the north to Australia and Indonesia in the south. There are an estimated 165 species of the birds there. Currently, thousands of birds of various species from China, Russia, Japan, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan are flocking at the beaches of Kuala Gula and Kuala Kurau. Tajol Rosli said the state government had agreed in principle with the proposal and the actual size of the area concerned would be discussed by the relevantdepartment before the matter was tabled at the Exco meeting for approval. "We want to turn it into a world heritage. By making it as a Ramsar site, we can obtain international aid to conserve it," he said. He said planned development of the area would attract more tourists and create job and economic opportunities for the local people. "Otherwise, there is a possibility that the local residents would exploit the land illegally to breed prawns and other marine products which could affect the mangrove forest," he said. In his speech at the launching, Law said the Wetlands Day celebration
which was being held for the first time aimed to create awareness on the
value, functions and contribution of the wetlands to national economic
development. - Bernama
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