PETALING JAYA: The Terengganu state government has gazetted an additional 19,614 hectares of forest in Kenyir State Park, effectively increasing the protected area to a whopping 30,000 hectares.
That is the equivalent of 42,017 standard football fields (one football field = 0.714ha), or a little under half the land size of Singapore (72,150ha).
Terengganu Menteri Besar Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said the move to expand the Kenyir State Park, located within the Kenyir water catchment area, was done in Nov 2018.
"This more than doubles the size of the original 10,386 hectare Kenyir State Park, originally referred to as Lawit-Cenana State Park, that was gazetted in May 2018," he said in a statement on Thursday (Jan 31).
Dr Ahmad said the move also makes Terengganu the first state in Malaysia to gazette a primary linkage of the Central Forest Spine.
"The extensions to Kenyir State Park comprise sections of Tembat Forest Reserve, where Primary Linkage 7 of the Central Forest Spine is located," he said.
The Central Forest Spine Master Plan for Ecological Linkages is the government's effort to protect the forest biodiversity and ecosystem by protecting the forest connectivity between Peninsular Malaysia’s main forest blocks.
There are 17 primary linkages throughout the Central Forest Spine in Peninsular Malaysia.
Primary Linkage 7, also known as the Kenyir Wildlife Corridor, now ensures a contiguous forest landscape adjacent to Taman Negara National Park, Dr Ahmad said.
"Terengganu’s move to protect more forests not only contributes to the federal government’s commitment of increasing Malaysia’s tigers, but also helps reduce carbon emissions according to the Paris Agreement," he said.
He said the forest provide critical ecosystem services to the people of Terengganu, such as the provision of clean drinking water, erosion control, sediment-free water for hydroelectricity generation, and the sustenance of fisheries resources, and flood mitigation.
"The presence of iconic plant species such as the Rafflesia, at least 43 mammal species, and around 290 bird species, which includes nine hornbill species, promises to be a major pull for tourists interested in nature, outdoors activities, and in scientific research," he added.
Dr Ahmad said the next phase in managing Kenyir State Park involves the development of biofinancing schemes to generate revenue from the sustainable forest management.
"The income will be managed through a State Park Trust Fund (Tabung Amanah Taman Negeri) to ensure the long-term availability of resources for enforcement, eco- tourism, and community livelihood activities around the park," he said.
"Conserving the environment is an essential part of battling climate change," he said, adding that Terengganu is committed to combat climate change.
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