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| Sunday, 3-Sep-2006 12:00 |
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Kota Damansara Community Forest Park - Back to Nature Program
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More photos at http://zilkamal.fotopages.com/?entry=911407
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| Tuesday, 1-Aug-2006 15:25 |
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Panning Aerial View
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| Monday, 29-May-2006 14:57 |
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Taman Botani from Satellite
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Taman Botani
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Kota Damansara Aerial View
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Also known as Sungai Buloh Forest Park.
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| Saturday, 2-Apr-2005 00:00 |
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Forest Reserve @ Kota Damansara
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| Thursday, 19-Aug-2004 00:00 |
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No sign of requested traffic lights
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Schoolchildren making a dash across Persiaran Kenanga to get to school.
By Goh Ee Koon
AN accident is waiting to happen at the corner of Kota Damansara’s main thoroughfare, Persiaran Kenanga, as it intersects with Jalan Camar 4/1.
The fast-moving traffic, a high slope that creates a blind spot and schoolchildren who prefer to cross the road rather than use the pedestrian bridge are combined risks that make it dangerous to just about any road user.
Problems began in August last year, when the NKVE exit to Kota Damansara was built.
In September last year, residents and business owners in the housing estate proposed that traffic lights be installed at the spot to reduce the danger. However, after almost a year, nothing has been done.
The greatest concern is for the schoolchildren who cross Persiaran Kenanga daily to get to Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
SMK Section 4 Kota Damansara Parent-Teacher Association chairman Baharudin Yatim said many of the children were those who cycled to school from flats like Cempaka Tanjung in Section 4 and the surrounding areas..
“Many simply cross the road on their bikes even though a lot of fast-moving vehicles use the road,” he said, adding that even adults used the “short-cut” instead of crossing over using the pedestrian overhead bridge.
These residents do so to get to the Section 4 mosque or to buy groceries at shops in Jalan Camar 4/3.
Residents believe that if nothing was done to rectify the situation, it would be just a matter of time before an accident took place.
The edge of Jalan Camar 4/3 is partially blocked by a high slope, and cuts off visibility of oncoming traffic at a corner, thus making it even more dangerous.
”Some motorists might not realise that there actually is a junction here until the last minute, so installing traffic lights here to warn them is a good idea,” said one resident by the name of May Lim.
Kota Damansara residents said former assemblyman Datuk Lum Weng Keong together with MPPJ officials had done a study of the roads in the area last year.
Two weeks ago, current Bukit Lanjan assemblyman Datuk Mokhtar Dahlan brought the matter up to the Public Works Department (JKR).
Residents can only wait and hope that their request for traffic lights is heard and acted upon this time around.
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| Wednesday, 16-Apr-2003 00:00 |
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Environmental Sungai Buloh Botanical Garden
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Environmental
Sungai Buloh Botanical Garden
Introduction
The area referred to as Botanical Garden Sungai Buloh (BGSB) is located in what was originally the Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve, which is the oldest Forest Reserve in Peninsular Malaysia, gazetted in 1898.
Located along the North South Highway opposite the Jalan Duta exit, this area is strategically situated with good accessibility, in a new township known as Kota Damansara. This reserve was degazetted in the early 1990’s for the purpose of a housing development project but an area of about 1000 acres (400 hectares) was earmarked as the National Botanical Gardens. Despite having been logged on a number of occasions in the past, the area is rich with natural tree and plant species, and the forest is a rich, regenerated, Meranti-Keruing forest, typical of the lowland areas of Malaysia of the past.
However, most of these lowland forests have been converted into urban areas or for agricultural crops, mainly oil palm and rubber. Although categorized as a lowland forest, the topography is hilly and rolling which resulted in the area being "saved" from development. An old abandoned quarry exists at one part of the area facing the North South Highway.
Up to 21st May 2002, the area was still officially designated as ‘Taman Botani’ but the area has been reduced to about 857 acres. The responsibility to develop the garden was originally with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MOSTE) but it was later moved to the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA). MOA had given the responsibility to develop the garden to MARDI. The efforts to confirm the status of the said area has led to the belief that the said area is not demarcated with a gazette number thus the presumption is that this piece of land is under the jurisdiction of the Selangor State government, as state land. As such, there is always danger of the land being given out for ‘development’.
This was soon followed by a decision of the Government to relocate the site of the National Botanical Garden to the Agriculture Park in Bukit Cherakah. This left the site of the BGSB in an ‘unsecured’ status and as expected, there was much interest in the area for more "development".
The threat and the ensuing struggle
MNS was alerted on 29th May 2002 by local residents on proposals to alienate and develop the remaining area of BGSB for housing development, for the purpose of bungalows known as Botany Heights. A site visit was conducted and a letter of appeal was sent to the authorities from the residents and MNS. No reply was received.
In September 2002, local resident’s observed land-clearing activities and together with MNS, exposed the exercise through TV3’s ‘Malaysia Hari Ini’. Following from this complaint, the land office held a site visit and proclaimed that the land-clearing was ‘illegal’ and directed the contractor to stop work and remedy the area immediately.
In October 2002, the local residents held an awareness program in conjunction with Minggu Alam Sekitar Malaysia together with local schools. Among the activities were nature walks and children’s art competitions.
In January 2003, once again MNS and the local residents were alerted to a planned land clearing to be carried out during the Chinese New Year festivities. Fearing the worst, the local Residents’ Association of Selangor Polo & Equestrian Club and MNS organised a press briefing. Four other Residents’ Association attended this briefing along with representatives from Wetlands International Malaysia. This meeting agreed in principle, supported by 5 Residents’ Association and 5 environmental NGOs, to set up an informal coalition for the main purpose of lobbying for the protection of ‘Taman Botani Sungai Buloh".
Fuelled by the positive remarks of the Honorable Menteri Besar of Selangor, Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo to protect the hills of Selangor, on 22nd February 2003, history was made when 5 Residents’ Association along with the Malaysian Nature Society formed a committee to jointly propose and develop the first ever concept of a community forest park in Malaysia. Known as ‘Sungai Buloh Forest Park (SBFP)" or "Taman Rimba Sungai Buloh", the committee agreed to develop a plan and even initiate a special trust fund to raise funds and to jointly approach the state government and local authorities and form a partnership for the conservation of our natural heritage and for the benefit of the public.
Another letter of appeal, attached with a copy of the Concept Paper for the Sungai Buloh Forest Park (SBFP) and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) were sent to the MB’s office. They have acknowledged receipt of the letter.
On 30th March 2003, an official launch of the campaign and the signing of the MOU were held at the site of SBFP. The MOU was signed by MNS HQ, MNS Selangor Branch, Residents’ Association (RA) of Selangor Polo & Equestrian Club, RA Kota Damansara and RA Bandar Utama. Three other RA of Tropicana, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail and Bandar Sri Damansara had pledged their support but haven’t signed the MOU.
The struggle is still on to make the Sungai Buloh Forest Park a reality. The loss of that forest means a loss of our very precious natural heritage.
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| Tuesday, 8-Apr-2003 00:00 |
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Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve : Disappearing greenery
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A father and his son enjoying the forest patch of their neighbourhood in Kota Damansara, Selangor, which might be developed into a housing estate.
Kota Damansara residents want to maintain the Sungai Buloh forest reserve as a green lung
By TAN CHENG LI
The Sungai Buloh forest reserve in the midst of urban Petaling Jaya is being whittled away in the name of development. Local residents, concerned that one of the oldest forest reserves in the country may be turned into a concrete jungle, are campaigning for the green lung to be developed into a community forest park. TAN CHENG LI reports.
WHO can resist the allure of living next to verdant forests? Certainly not engineer Leong Kam Heng. Drawn to the idea of residing near wilderness away from the mad rush of city life, he bought a piece of property in 1998 at the Selangor Polo and Equestrian Club, an exclusive enclave in the newly-developed Kota Damansara residential area in Selangor.
Like the other 99 purchasers, Leong fell for the sales pitch of healthy living next to nature. Their bungalow lots sit beside lush forests earmarked for Taman Botani, a botanical garden to be set up on what used to be the Sungai Buloh forest reserve. For that luxury, they forked out an extra RM5 to RM10 per sq ft for their property compared to other bungalow owners in Kota Damansara.
Imagine their frustration when within two years of moving in, they discovered that their dream abodes will lose their exclusivity. The forest will make way for more houses.
“When I purchased the property, I was told it adjoins a forest reserve. I was willing to pay a higher price for that. I feel that I have been cheated. Even the masterplan displayed by PKNS (the Selangor Economic Development Corporation, developer of the area) for property sale until today still shows the forest as Taman Botani,” says Leong.
In truth, the Taman Botani project which was proudly announced by Science, Technology and Environment Minister Datuk Law Hieng Ding in the mid-1990s has been abandoned without any explanation although RM1mil had been spent on preparing the masterplan.
This left the Sungai Buloh forest open to development pressures. But that’s hardly a new predicament facing the reserve. Once sprawling over 1,618ha, it has shrunk steadily over the years. Parcel after parcel had been given out, first for rubber plantations, then oil palm estates, and in the past 15 years, houses. New residential areas in Selangor, such as Damansara Perdana, Damansara Damai, Sunway Damansara, Damansara Indah and even Kota Damansara, all sit on land which was once part of the forest reserve. Even the New Klang Valley Expressways cuts through it.
Although 404ha were to be kept aside for Taman Botani, that is now up for grabs. Today, all that’s left of the reserve is 347ha – a reflection of the scant respect accorded to an area which holds the distinction of being one of the oldest forest reserves in the country, dating back to 1898.
But there is hope. The local residents are campaigning for the green lung to stay. They have proposed that it be turned into a community forest park. “There are hardly any forests of this type now. Having this forest park will benefit everyone, not just the immediate residents,” enthuses Leong, who is president of the residents’ association of his area.
Three residents’ associations – from the Selangor Polo and Equestrian Club, Bandar Utama and Kota Damansara areas – have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) to establish the Sungai Buloh Forest Park. Three other associations from Tropicana, Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Bandar Utama are considering doing so.
If all goes well, this will be the first forest park set up by the local community. Its location is more than ideal – it will provide a green enclave amidst one of the most built-up areas in Selangor. The residents are clearly enthusiastic about the project. In October, they held an awareness campaign in conjunction with National Environment Week. People turned up in droves for a colouring competition while those who joined a jungle walk were pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the forest and fascinated by the colourful birds spotted.
“Most of us invested in property here because of the greenery,” says Datuk Zainuddin Mohd Tahir, president of the Residents’ Association of Kota Damansara. “When completed, Kota Damansara will have 150,000 residents but the only green areas that we have now are small pockets of playground. We don’t want any development to eat into this green area.” A dearth of urban parks in the Klang Valley, particularly the Sungai Buloh-Damansara area, is reason enough to protect the Sungai Buloh forest, asserts MNS president Datuk Dr Salleh Mohd Nor.
“People need such forested areas to relax and unwind. Just look at FRIM (the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia in Kepong). It is so popular, it’s a madhouse there during weekends because there are so many vehicles and people.
“Very rarely do you have a good, prime forest in the midst of an urban area. This forest provides not just a recreation site, but is also a green lung and wildlife refuge.”
Salleh says the Sungai Buloh reserve is a rich lowland meranti-keruing forest. Although logged in the past, it has regenerated well as logging was very selective with only the highly-prized keruing trees felled. This, coupled with forest rehabilitation work, has left a forest still rich in species. Salleh has observed trees at least 100 years old.
There is also plenty of birdlife. Just by the forest edge, birdwatchers have seen the black-bellied malkohas, crested serpent eagles, kingfishers, black and red broadbills and dollar birds. Deep inside the forest, they have encountered the rare and endangered argus pheasant. The forest is also a vital refuge for migratory birds as flocks of raptors have been seen circling nearby.
Salleh says a survey is needed to determine the forest’s biological wealth. Only after that can a management plan be drafted. He hopes to rope in MNS members and local residents for the task. The community will play a key role in developing and managing the park, while MNS will help facilitate and guide them. Companies, corporations and organisations are also invited to chip in.
To finance the project, the residents’ associations and the MNS will hold fund-raising events. Salleh says the park will require minimal funds as the forest will be kept pretty much as it is. He says infrastructure will be limited to trails, camping grounds, an information centre and rest huts.
But, first, MNS and the residents need to convince the state government that the community forest park will work. They also need to seek the right to manage the proposed park as the forest is state land. However, the group has yet to receive any replies to its two letters written to Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo last year.
Until the state government reveals its plans for the patch of forest, the residents cannot rest easy. To them, it is only logical that the little that is left of the Sungai Buloh forest reserve be preserved. After all, it is not without reason that the site was chosen for a botanical garden. The shelving of the project is no justification to convert the greenery into housing.
As Salleh points out: “We are spending tens of millions to build a forest park in Putrajaya on land that used to be a rubber and oil palm plantation. Only after 25 years can you see an image of a forest there. But here, we have a ready forest. Yet, we want to destroy it.”
Indeed, it would be a paradox if this forest is sacrificed for a concrete jungle.
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| Thursday, 27-Feb-2003 00:00 |
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Society Applauds Move by Selangor MB
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Press Releases
Kuala Lumpur, February 27, 2003
The Malaysian Nature Society wishes to convey its appreciation to the Menteri Besar of Selangor, Y. Bhg. Dato’ Seri Dr. Mohd Khir Toyo for his timely intervention for the conservation of hillsides in Selangor. Hills are very sensitive and erosion-prone areas, where only selective development should be allowed.
The Society welcomes the much-awaited decision, in lieu with the Society’s current campaign for the protection of the Taman Botani, Kota Damansara, which was part of the original Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve. The 995 acres of well-grown secondary forest has been eyed for the development of housing projects. The area designated for the projects are unsuitable for housing as it is very hilly and has a few water catchment areas in the forest as well.
The local residents and Resident’s Associations of Kota Damansara have recently joined forces to protect the hills and forests of Taman Botani. A letter has also been sent to the MB of Selangor, alerting him of the situation. An updated report and proposal will be submitted soon to the State Government. MNS takes this opportunity to request for the inclusion of the Taman Botani for the proposed protection under the Land Conservation Act, 1960. Green lungs per se, especially in urban areas are a natural heritage and must be afforded protection.
The Society also thanks all the concerned parties that had voiced out for the conservation of Taman Botani Kota Damansara.
Dato’ Dr. Salleh Mohd Nor
President, MNS
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| Saturday, 25-Jan-2003 00:00 |
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Save Taman Botani Kota Damansara
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Press Releases
Kuala Lumpur, January 25, 2003
THE MNS POSITION
It is the position of the Malaysian Nature Society that all green lungs and forest reserves in Selangor should be totally protected. This is partially due to the fact that all forest reserves that are degazetted has to be replaced with the same size of land, in accordance to the National Forestry Act 1984. And the scarcity of land in Selangor is proof that this cannot be done. Apart from that, all green lungs have a natural ecosystem that will be disturbed by development and cannot be duplicated in other circumstances. Potential areas for housing has not been fully optimised in most areas.
THE HISTORY
Taman Botani Kota Damansara was part of the Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve. The original Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve was established in 1898 and is the oldest forest reserve in the country with an area of 3114 hectares. Eventually, development moved in and in 1999, the remaining Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve is only 193.8 hectares. In the mid 90s, about 405 hectares of the forest reserve was degazetted for the purpose of a Botanical Garden. A masterplan was also prepared for the Botanical Garden in 1994. Unfortunately, due to unknown reasons, the project was not implemented. Hence, Taman Botani still stands and threats of development continue to jeopardise the existence of the remaining patch of the oldest regenerated forest in the country. MNS says that too much compromise has been made in this case, citing the loss of thousands of acres to development.
THE SITUATION
The Residents’ Association (RA) of Selangor Polo & Equestrian Club (SPEC), along with the RA from Taman Tun, Tropicana, Damansara Indah and representatives from Bandar Utama have joined the campaign to save our Taman Botani. The RA of SPEC were the first to be alerted of the development plans in Taman Botani and the news were highlighted in local newspapers on 20st May 2002. The following are the chronological events that have happened since.
The residents met with MNS on 29th May 2002 to help champion their cause and a letter of appeal was sent to the Menteri Besar of Selangor from the residents and followed by MNS on July 3rd, 2002. No response from the MB’s office to date.
MNS continued to organise awareness activities such as bird-watching and guided walk for the local residents to appreciate the importance of their Taman Botani. An article on 3rd September 2002 by the STAR mentioned the efforts of the local residents to save their Taman Botani.
The residents also exposed some illegal sand dredging activities at the site and were interviewed by TV3 on 21st September 2002. Later, authorities from State Forestry Department and Land Office investigated and confirmed the illegal activity and ordered the perpetrators to remedy and leave the site immediately.
During Malaysian Environmental Week (MASM) on October 27th, 2002, an Art’s Competition and Nature’s Walk was held in cooperation with the RA of SPEC and local schools. About 200 residents attended this event without any press coverage.
Today, Malaysian Nature Society and the local residents call for a concerted effort to save the Taman Botani from further thereat of development. We propose that the existent trails be improved with interpretative signs and new trails established for the public. We further entreat for a complete and detailed study of the Taman Botani to improve our knowledge of the flora and fauna found there. We would also like to suggest the creation of educational plots for local schools and institutions.
Thank you.
For further information or enquiries, please contact Ms. Chitra Devi or Mr. Andrew Sebastian at 03- 2287 9422.
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