Mangrove forest clearing

Monday August 30, 2010
Selangor loses RM100mil in revenue to mangrove thieves
By STUART MICHAEL
metro@thestar.com.my
The Selangor Government has lost millions of ringgit in revenue in the last 10 years as a result of licensed loggers underdeclaring their shipment of mangrove logs harvested throughout the state.If efforts are not taken immediately to stop the felling of trees, there would not be any mangrove forest left in the entire of Selangor by 2020.
Over the 10-year period, the price per log was between RM3 and RM7.90. This comes to about RM100 million worth of logs that the state had lost in a decade. The state should put a stop to mangrove forest logging entirely as mangrove saplings take about 15 years to be fully mature before they are ready to be harvested.
The logging activities so rampant, the trees are being felled faster than the replanting efforts.If heavy logging continues, there would not be any mangrove forest throughout Selangor by 2020 and this will subsequently destroy the eco-system, marine life and the livelihood of fishermen and people living near the sea.
The Federal Government spent RM10.5mil in 2008 to replant mangrove trees. In 2008, the Selangor Forestry Department replanted 81,000 mangrove trees in a 25ha-area in Kuala Bernam, Hulu Selangor and 25,000 trees in a 10ha-area in Klang.The Star/Monday October 5, 2009 (Saving the mangroves/Story and photos by SALINA KHALID)
In Selangor, there are three main areas with protected mangrove forest totalling 18.08 hectares, with the largest in Port Klang about 5,611.81 hectares. The others are in Kuala Selangor, Port Klang and Banting.
The mangrove forest in Kuala Selangor are at Kuala Bernam (846.50ha) and Banjar Utara and Banjar Selatan (1,011.64ha) while in Banting, the mangrove forest areas are in Jugra Kelompok 1 (418.98ha), Jugra Kelompok 2 (82ha), Sepang Kechil (267.98ha) and Kuala Sepang (160.51ha).The mangrove forest in Port Klang are in Kapar (138.20ha), Pulau Tonggok (35.65ha), Pulau Klang (5.611.81ha), Pulau Selat Mahang (148.88ha), Pulau Selat Meriam (53.81ha), Pulau Tengah (790ha), Pulau Pintu Gedong (741.55ha), Pulau Che Mat Zin (1,419.21ha), Telok Gedong (659.79ha), Jugra Kompt 2 (85.88ha), Pulau Tengah (1,415.64ha), Pulau Ketam (2,365ha), Pulau Rusa (85ha), Pulau Klang Tambahan (268ha), Pulau Selat Kering (509ha), Pulau Che Mat Zin Tambahan (43ha).
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Protection and conservation alone may not solve the problem. Perhaps we can use the protected forest for education, research and ecotourism (nature). By having these control and structured activities, at least indirectly, some public monitoring will be established. This will help the existing solely Forest Department patrolling activities. Educated and concerned public could be more effective patrolling system. As Milky Storks are now close to extinction in Malaysia and they need tall mangroves trees for nesting and far from human disturbance, the release programme can be done in Klang Islands Mangrove Forests.