Make Chini reserve a Protected Forest, says Pahang forestry dept

 

Concern has been raised about mining activities around Tasik Chini, which has been recognised by Unesco as a bio-heritage area. (Facebook pic)

KUANTAN: The Pahang forestry department will propose to the state government that the entire Chini Forest Reserve in Pekan be gazetted as a Protected Forest under the National Forestry Act 1984.

In a media statement here today the department said an allocation of about RM10 million will be used to rehabilitate an area of 202.34ha in the forest reserve.

“In July 2020, the state government directed us to speed up the rehabilitation activities in the mine encroachment area in Tasik Chini, besides intensifying efforts to restore the mining areas through the rehabilitation fund after no new licences were approved since 2019.

“Much of this effort is implemented in the 13.12ha buffer zone area by planting various species of bamboo, ground cover plants and other suitable tree species such as merawan siput jantan and meranti temak nipis,” the statement read.

In addition, Pahang State Education Department (JPNP), with cooperation from the energy and natural resources ministry, planned the Social Forestry Pilot Project with the Orang Asli community in Tasik Chini, while a series of consultations involving the communities of Kampung Gumum and Kampung Melai had been implemented since 2018.

The state government through JPNP also launched the “1 Pokok, 1 Rakyat Negeri Pahang” campaign which targets the planting of five million trees in 2021, also involving the Tasik Chini area.

“All trees planted in Chini will be recorded through this campaign. The campaign is also to support and make successful the Greening Malaysia Programme which targets the planting of up to 100 million trees by 2025,” it added. - FMT