KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will fence off a small green space in Segambut following a public outcry over recent encroachment and the loss of several mature trees.
The site, which borders Nova 2 Apartments and houses along Jalan 34/38A in Taman Sri Bintang, has been cordoned off with tape to prevent further damage.
There are plans to transform it into a pocket park.
DBKL’s intervention follows a viral social media video titled “Killing KL’s Green Spaces” by Nova 2 Apartments resident Jordan Curzon.
The post by the 31-year-old freelance videographer drew widespread attention to the vulnerability of the narrow strip of greenery between the complex and the main road.
Curzon described the plot as a vital urban habitat home to about 30 species of birds, mammals and reptiles.
He said that while the area served as an important natural refuge and environmental buffer for the neighbourhood, the area sustained damage when a resident was spotted clearing a section near their home.
“When we checked, we found about eight trees had been ring-barked,” said Curzon.
“The resident told us he wanted to create a personal garden and that the trees were blocking sunlight,” he said.
The soil in the area had also turned brown, leading residents to suspect that weedkillers might have been used on the land.
Curzon said neighbours tried to save the trees, but the ecological toll was too severe.
“One tree eventually fell and the others became unsafe.
“DBKL later removed eight of them for safety reasons,” he said, adding that the site is among the green spaces gazetted under the Federal Territories Land and Mines Office (PTGWP).
Other locals also shared their concern over the loss of the neighbourhood’s natural canopy.
Resident Ng Zi Yuan, 34, said the small plot of land was the only green buffer left in the area and helped cool the immediate surroundings.
“It is so rare to come across trees and greenery in Kuala Lumpur, which is why we should protect it,” she said.
She added, however, that DBKL had cut down trees along the same stretch last year, ostensibly for a pocket park.
“The area has been flattened, but we are still waiting to see the park project materialise,” said Ng.
Siti Sharifah Muzaffar, 56, said the greenery provided residents with a vital sense of calm despite their proximity to a busy road.
“When we wake up in the morning, we hear birds chirping and we feel connected to nature.
“Not many places in Kuala Lumpur still have this kind of environment,” said Siti Sharifah.
When StarMetro visited the site, two officers from DBKL’s Segambut branch office had already cordoned off the area with red tape.
When approached for comment, the officers confirmed that DBKL would fence up the land and develop it into a pocket park.
City Hall is in the midst of actively gazetting green spaces across Kuala Lumpur, following the formation of a dedicated special task force under the Federal Territories Department.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, who announced the initiative, stated that at least one green or open space will be gazetted each month.
To date, a total of 543 green and open spaces − covering over 27.76ha − have been permanently gazetted for public protection.
