Kuala Kubu Bharu declared as central forest spine area

 

Kuala Kubu Bharu in the district of Hulu Selangor was yesterday declared a central forest spine (CFS) area for Selangor.

Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said the permanent forest reserve area in Hulu Selangor is a continuation of the Main Range, near Perak and Pahang, making the location apt to be declared as a CFS for Selangor.

“Although Selangor is regarded as a secondary link to the main area (CFS), its forests still need to be preserved,” he said after officiating at the state-level International Day of Forests celebration and declaration of the CFS in Kuala Kubu Bharu. 

Also present was Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia (JPSM) director-general Mohd Ridza Awang.

The CFS has been created to preserve the forests for their biodiversity protection and conservation through the linkage of four main forest areas in Peninsular Malaysia, namely the Main Range-Bintang Range-Nakawan Range; Taman Negara-Eastern Range; Southeast Pahang Peat Swamp Forest, Tasik Chini and Tasik Bera and the Endau Rompin National Park-Kluang Wildlife Reserve.

In the context of CFS in Selangor, only one secondary linkage corridor is involved, namely, the ecology corridor encompassing the Raja Musa Permanent Forest Reserve (HSK)-HSK Bukit Tarek-HSK Gading.

Conservation catalyst

Amirudin said the declaration of the CFS area was very important as a catalyst for conservation of the state’s ecology corridor.

"Our commitment at the state level could have an impact on the country’s agenda in tackling the issues of environmental pollution, global warming, climate change and natural disasters,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mohd Ridza said the JPSM as chair of the National CFS Implementation Technical Committee and secretariat for the National CFS Implementation Steering Committee would work to ensure that part of the CFS allocation at the federal level be channelled to Selangor for its CFS planned programmes.

He said JPSM had channelled RM512,000 to Selangor through the State Forestry Department since 2018 for the implementation of programmes under the scope of developing and managing CSF projects.

- Bernama