Malaysia:

FEBRUARY 24, 2012

SELANGOR TIMES

Villagers whose livelihood is linked to the Raja Musa Forest Reserve have agreed to work together with the authorities to safeguard the area. “We will be keeping an eye on the forest and will report any encroachment to the authorities,” said Sungai Sireh Home Stay manager Abu Bakar Moin.

The change in mindset among the villagers came about through the efforts of the Global Environment Centre (GEC) which has been working with villages and the Selangor Forestry Department. Two programmes, Friends of the Peatland Forest and Peatlands Forest Ranger, were initiated here by GEC last Saturday in conjunction with World Wetlands Day 2012.

“While it’s easy to clear land by burning, it takes a long time to replant trees to return the forest to its former state,” said Selangor Forestry Department director Yusoff Muda. He pointed out that the 80,000 hectares of peat land are important as they help to prevent floods. “The peat land acts like a sponge which absorbs rainwater. It is also one of the main water sources for paddy fields in Sekinchan and Sabak Bernam,” he further said.

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Keywords: Asia, Malaysia, peat forest, peatland, protection, Raja Musa