ACTION: Save Rainforest Wildlife in Malaysia, save Parit Forest Reserve

[Guest guest]

The tropical rainforest of Parit Forest Reserve in Malaysia is under threat as pieces of the park are continually de-gazetted and converted to destructive developments. The reserve has shrunk from 4000 ha to only 1000 ha today. With a ring of developments around, the last corridor of the park is about to be destroyed for a destructive goat farm development. A piece of the park has been de-gazetted for this development and the endangered species of the park, such as the Clouded Leopard, Argus Pheasant, Malayan Tapir and Barking Deer, will be trapped with nowhere to go. Already, disturbed and confused animals are wandering out into human settlements. In addition, the development is destroying an important freshwater wetland.Due to outcry, the Chief Minister of the state of Perak has said he may consider stopping the project. However, he is more likely to do nothing except try his other stated goal of 'moving' some of the animals [where?] It is essential that international pressure calls on him to stop the goat project and re-gazette the area into the park. Otherwise, all of the endangered wildlife will not survive.See related articles below.

TAKE ACTION!

 

It is essential to write to those in charge ASAP. The Chief Minister has already said he _may_ cancel the goat project. It is essential we show international pressure so he doesn't engage in greenwashing or trying to 'move' the animals [where?] as he also suggested.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali[Mentri Besar Datuk = Chief Minister of Datuk]Contact Information:Tel. No: 05-2418522(D/L) / 05-2531957 ext. 5888Email: tajolrosli

State Forestry Department

 

 

 

 

 

Name

:

Dato’ Azahar bin Muda

 

Tel

:

05 - 2542007

 

Email

:

pph

Here is my letter. Please edit it before sending!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Very Honourable Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali,

 

It has come to my attention that a goat project is threatening the endangered wildlife of the Parit Forest Reserve. As you are aware, more than 3,000ha of the forest reserve have been de-gazetted for development projects. If the goat project continues, the park will be too small and isolated to support the endangered species such as the Clouded Leopard, Barking Deer, Great Argus Pheasant and Malayan Tapir. In addition, it is likely to damage Perak's only freshwater wetlands.

 

Moving the animals is not an option; transplanted animals frequently do not survive and there would be limited amounts of suitable protected areas to transfer them to which could support the excess animals.

 

It is essential that the goat project be stopped and the area re-gazetted into the park. Perhaps more environmentally sensitive options like eco-tourism could be developed near the park whilst protecting the wildlife and their habitat. Destructive projects like the goat farm should be stopped immediately.

 

Please stop the goat farm project and re-gazette the area into the Parit Forest Reserve. Please also ensure that all future developments near the park are subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment.

 

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

[Your Address]

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RELATED ARTICLES:

Protected species threatened by goat-rearing project

Malaysia Star - Malaysia

By CHRISTINA KOH

SERI ISKANDAR: The totally protected clouded leopards, tapirs and the great argus pheasant living in the Parit Forest Reserve are in danger of dying off, said Perak Environment Association president Abdul Rahman Said Alli.

He claimed this was because clearing works have already started on a 161ha goat-rearing project, that sits on the southern part of the reserve, about 45km from Ipoh.

He said the project here, which began clearing works over two months ago, would turn the reserve into an "island" and effectively block off access for the animals.

Abdul Rahman said that according to a study by the state Department of Wildlife and National Park (Perhilitan), at least eight totally protected species made their home in the 1,000ha forest reserve.

Animals that have been spotted there include the clouded leopard, leopard cat, purple heron, Malayan tapirs, lesser and larger mouse deer, smooth otter, common palm musang, and many protected birds.

"If the project continues, there is nowhere else for the animals to go," Abdul Rahman told reporters during a visit to the site here on Tuesday.

"On one side of the reserve, there is the Seri Iskandar township while the rest are oil palm estates, which is all fenced off.

"Already you have stories of tapirs getting lost and clouded leopards passing by the hostel of Universiti Teknologi Petronas. All of these animals wandered in from the reserve area," he added.

Abdul Rahman pointed out that part of the forest reserve also happened to be Perak's only freshwater wetlands area, adding that the clearing works would damage the wetland's fragile ecology.

He hoped that the state government could intervene and questioned why an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) had not been done.

"I'm not against development but I believe it shouldn't be carried in this haphazard manner. Our fear is that the project will threaten the flora and fauna in the reserve," he said.

When contacted, state Perhilitan director Shabrina Mohd Shariff said she would get her staff to check on the matter.

"If such a project has begun, we will have to transfer these animals to a new habitat," she added.

A Department of Environment officer said the project did not need an EIA as it was "an agricultural project" that did not exceed the required 500ha, as stipulated in the Environmental Quality Act 1974.

"However, we have set conditions such as that they must control the soil erosion by installing silt traps, sedimentation ponds and internal drainage.

"We will also inspect the site every once in a while," said the officer.

 

Forest reserve shrinking by the day

By : Jaspal Singh

 

 

 

 

 

More than 3,000ha of the forest reserve have been de-gazetted for development projects.

 

PARIT: From about 4,100ha more than 20 years ago, the Parit forest reserve today is a shadow of its original size.

 

With only about 1,000ha left, the forest reserve in the district of Perak Tengah continues to be de-gazetted for infrastructure, township and agriculture development projects.The trend is worrying environmental activists.They are concerned that if development activities are carried out without restraint, the remaining forest cover, which is home to several endangered species, will be gone forever.The greatest worry for Perak Environment Association members is that if the forest cover is lost to development, the endangered species will be forced to forage for food in villages and townships mushrooming around the dwindling reserve.

The forest reserve is home to seven protected species: Clouded leopards, Malayan tapirs, leopard cats, lesser and large mousedeer, smooth otters and purple herons.These animals, association spokesman Meor Razak Meor Abdul Rahman said, depended on swamps in the forest reserve for their survival."In fact, the Parit forest reserve happens to be the only freshwater wetland area in Perak. "If development is left unchecked, the wetland’s fragile eco-system will be damaged in no time," he said.Meor Razak said the forest reserve began to be de-gazetted for development in the 1980s for the establishment of the Universiti Sains Malaysia engineering branch campus in Tronoh (now Universiti Teknologi Petronas), the Institut Teknologi Mara (now UiTM) and the Seri Iskandar township.Parts of the forest reserve were also de-gazetted for oil palm estates, he added.And, Meor said the state authorities had been allowing the remaining forest to be logged under concessions.Meor Razak said the association was also concerned with land-clearing on a 161.8ha area which was once part of the forest reserve.He said the association had on Aug 17 written to Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali to reconsider the de-gazetting of the forest reserve for development projects.

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Goat farm ‘threatens wildlife’

By CHRISTINA KOH

SERI ISKANDAR: The clouded leopard, tapir and the great argus pheasant in the Parit Forest Reserve are in danger of dying off because land clearance works for a huge goat rearing project that will effectively isolate the wild animals.

Perak Environment Association president Abdul Rahman Said Alli claimed that the 161ha goat-rearing project at the bottom of the reserve would turn the reserve into an “island” and block off the animals’ access.

Land clearance began over two months ago.

Abdul Rahman said that according to a study by the state Department of Wildlife and National Park (Perhilitan) the 1,000ha forest reserve, about 45km from Ipoh, is home to at least eight totally protected species.

Animals that have been spotted there include the clouded leopard, leopard cat, purple heron, Malayan tapir, lesser and larger mousedeer, smooth otter, common palm musang and many protected birds.

“If the project continues, there is nowhere else for the animals to go,” Abdul Rahman told reporters during a visit to the site here yesterday.

On one side of the reserve there is the Seri Iskandar township, while on the other sides are fenced-up oil palm estates.

“Already you have stories of tapirs getting lost and clouded leopards passing by the hostel of Universiti Teknologi Petronas. All of these animals wandered in from the reserve area,” he added.

Abdul Rahman also pointed out that part of the forest reserve also happened to be Perak’s only freshwater wetlands area, adding that the clearing works would damage the wetland’s fragile ecology.

He hoped that the state government could intervene and questioned why an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) had not been done.

“I’m not against development but shouldn’t be done in this haphazard manner,” he said.

A Department of Environment officer said the project did not need an EIA as it was “an agricultural project” that did not exceed the required 500ha, as stipulated in the Environmental Quality Act.

 

Please write e-mails on this issue ASAP!