One of the state govt’s biggest income comes from taxes they earn from land use. When states are blessed with nice lush forest, its only tempting to clear some up to sell the timber and create space for development. This on the other hand is horrible for the environment. The forest play a huge role in ensuring our long term survival. It not only converts Co2 to O2 but had got many many other functions.
Its always a positive sign when a state govt takes notice of this and does not allow logging to go on till its decided after in-dept analysis and research. In a report today, The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) commends the stop-work order issued by the Perak State Exco to halt logging activities in the villages in Gopeng until a decision is made next week.
Thank You Perak State Govt for stopping this logging till a proper consulted decision is made.
Read the full report
THE Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) commends the stop-work order issued by the Perak State Exco to halt logging activities in the villages in Gopeng until a decision is made next week.
MNS believes this is a wise decision in recognising the critical environ-socio-economic value of natural forests, how they must be wisely managed and also safeguard the livelihood of the Semai people.
The forest here, which is part of the Bukit Kinta Forest Reserve, is blessed with natural wonders such as the world’s largest flower, the Rafflesia, and is one of the easily accessible and densest Rafflesia sites in Malaysia.
Besides the flowers, Ulu Geroh forests have salt licks that attract hundreds of Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing Butterflies, our national butterfly. These butterflies congregate in THE hundreds on the ground sipping the water that is rich in minerals.
The Ulu Geroh area where Sungai Kampar flows through to the limestone areas of Gopeng is an exciting adventure and eco tourism area where there are regular weekly visitors from all over the world.
Avid trekkers head to the area to trek to Cameron Highlands, a fantastic trek filled with traditional Semai culture. Besides that, Kampong Itek is famous for its Rawa people, who migrated to this area during the last century and still speak in their native tongue.
It is 30 minutes away from the urban city of Ipoh and half an hour away from Batu Gajah with its famous Kellie’s Castle and historical buildings and the Kinta Nature Park.
Recognising the importance of conserving these areas, MNS has been working closely with the indigenous people of Ulu Geroh on the Rafflesia and Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing Butterfly Conservation Project since the year 2000 through the establishment of the Sahabat Ekopelancongan Memulihara Alam Indah (Semai), an organisation made up of locals to promote eco-tourism activities in the village.
MNS has received many grants to capacity built the indigenous people in Ulu Geroh thus far, to actively encourage ecotourism as a means of obtaining a side income whilst conserving the natural wonders that the forested areas of Ulu Geroh has to offer to Malaysian tourists as well as to foreign tourists.
Grants for this project were received from an array of supporters, both locally and internationally such as the World Conservation Union (IUCN), United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP), HSBC bank, Earthwatch Institute, Dow Chemicals and CIMB bank. An estimated one million ringgit has been spent on this project over a span of six years.
The society therefore commends the Perak government for halting the logging activities and hopes that this will stand. MNS is ready to provide the necessary information to ensure that this area is conserved.
ANDREW J. SEBASTIAN,
Head of Communications, MNS.
