Integrated Management Plan for North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest 2014-2023
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Integrated Management Plan for North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest 2014-2023 Selangor State Forestry Department Supported by Prepared with technical support from ii PREFACE North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest comprises of Raja Musa Forest Reserve, Sungai Karang Forest Reserve, Sungai Dusun Forest/Wildlife Reserve and part of Bukit Belata Forest Reserve Extension. It covers an area of 81,304 hectares. The Integrated Management Plan has prepared from Dec 2013 to June 2014 supported by Malaysian component of the ASEAN Peatland Forest Project (APFP) which is implemented under the framework of the ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy 2006-2020 (APMS). This Plan significantly updates an earlier Integrated Management Plan (IMP) previously prepared with support from DANCED in 1999. The current plan will cover the next 10 years from 2014 – 2023 and incorporates the findings from a number of studies and activities undertaken through the Smart Partnership programme of the APFP Malaysia (involving the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia and other partners including Forestry Department Selangor, Department of Agriculture, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Malaysian Meteorology Department, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia, University Putra Malaysia, Malaysian Nature Society, Sahabat Hutan Gambut Selangor Utara and the Global Environment Centre) between 2011 – 2014. We wish to extent our appreciation to the members of Smart Partnership programme, staff of Selangor State Forestry Department and state government agencies and other stakeholders who give out their inputs and advice to the development of the IMP. In addition we thank the National Coordinator of APFP facilitated the various related studies and activities. A special acknowledgement to the financial assistance given by the Global Environment Facility through the International Fund For Agriculture Development (IFAD). Co- financing was provided by the Selangor State government and the SEApeat project funded by the European Union. Carbon assessment and hydrological surveys were supported by USAID-LEAF project. Special thanks are made to the ASEAN Secretariat for facilitating the APFP. Faizal Parish Dr. Mohd Puat Bin Dahalan Director Director GEC (RPEA – APFP) Selangor State Forestry Department Dato’ Prof Dr Hj Abd Rahman b. Hj. Abd Rahim Director General, Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction This document is a ten-year Integrated Management Plan for North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest for the period 2014-2023. The IMP updates an earlier plan for the period 2000-2010. It has been necessary to update the plan to reflect current conditions on the ground as several parameters/variables such as strengthened laws and a moratorium on logging have been put into place over the years. It also draws on significant studies and other activities undertaken under the Malaysian component of the ASEAN Peatland Forests Project (APFP) within the NSPSF between 2011-2014. North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest (NSPSF) is made up of four forest reserves - Raja Musa, Sungai Dusun, Part of Bukit Belata Extension and Sungai Karang Forest Reserves. A summary on total area of NSPSF is as in Table 1. Table 1: Total area of North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest as included in formal gazettement documents. No. Forest Reserve Size (ha) 1. Raja Musa Forest Reserve 35,656 2. Sungai Karang Forest Reserve 37,417 3. Part of Bukit Belata (Extension) Forest Reserve 4,342 4. Sungai Dusun Wildlife Reserve / Sungai Dusun Forest Reserve 5,091 Total 81,304 NSPSF is located within the administrative Districts of Kuala Selangor, Sabak Bernam and Hulu Selangor in the northern part of Selangor State. iv Management Aim and Objectives The proposed overall management objective for the ten-year planning period is as follows: “To maintain the geographical extent and integrity of the North Selangor Peatland Forest to sustain and rehabilitate the functions of the ecosystem as provider of goods and services for the benefit of the local and global communities.” Specific Management Plan Objectives: The Specific Management Plan Objectives are: 1. Re-establish the hydrological functions and the natural water balance of the NSPSF. 2. Prevent all fire occurrence and associated haze in and adjacent to NSPSF 3. Restore the Forest ecosystem of NSPSF by encouraging natural forest regeneration and where necessary supplement with planting in severely degraded sites 4. Establish a buffer zone of at least 500m width along the entire outer boundaries of the NSPSF to minimize impacts of activities in adjacent areas. 5. Develop and promote sustainable use of NSPSF including eco-tourism, harvesting of NTFP, recreation and environmental awareness, education and research 6. Promote conservation of peatland biodiversity and ecosystem functions 7. Maintain and enhance carbon stock, minimize GHG emission and develop options for carbon financing 8. Promote multi- stakeholder participation in the implementation of the IMP Management Zones An analysis of data and studies conducted during the project showed that some parts of the forest are degraded and need intensive work for rehabilitation whereas others have important values for conservation, ecotourism or water resources management. Thus, the area is divided into specific forest management zone each with different objectives and management prescriptions as follows: v 1. Water Catchment Forest 2. Rehabilitation Zone 3. Recreation/Eco-tourism and Education/Research 4. Biodiversity Conservation 5. Community Forest 6. Agroforestry Zone The distribution between the various areas are shown in Table 2. Table 2: Summary of overall Management Zones, NSPSF Management Zone Area (ha) Ha Percent A. Water catchment forest 22,574 27.8 B. Rehabilitation zone 18,547 22.8 C. Recreation/ eco-tourism and 8,299 10.2 Education/ Research D. Biodiversity Conservation 30,118 37.0 E. Community Forestry 226 0.3 F. Agroforestry zone 1,521 1.9 Total 81,304 100 Management Approach To maintain the water management functions and promote the natural regeneration in the forest the natural hydrological regime of the NSPSF needs to be restored by blocking up to 500km of abandoned logging canals in the forest. This will support the regeneration of the forest, reduce the emission of Greenhouse Gasses as well as the risk of fires. It will also enhance the value of the NSPSF in water supply and flood control for adjacent areas. In order to maintain the integrity of the NSPSF it is necessary to actively control and manage activities in the adjacent areas. Activities such as mining, agriculture and plantations in adjacent land can lead to significant negative impacts on the NSPSF including overdrainage and fires. As a result, land in a zone one kilometer wide along the entire outer boundary of the forest reserves covering an area of 15,000 ha has been prescribed as a formal buffer zone in line with the Malaysian National Physical plan and vi the Selangor State Structure Plan (2020). A separate but complementary Buffer Zone Management Plan has been developed to guide the management of this zone. A major threat to the NSPSF is fire which has impacted more than 5000 ha of the forest over the past 10-15 years. Fires lead to loss of forest resources, biodiversity and generate GHG emissions and smoke which affect the heath of local communities. The fires also lead to economic losses costing of tens of millions of RM. Fires can only be prevented by working in an integrated manner in partnership with government agencies, local communities and the private sector. A separate Cooperative Fire Management Plan has been developed as a key part of the IMP to guide activities by a range of partners to prevent and control fires both within and adjacent to the NSPSF. With estimated population of more 10,000 people living in more than 10 villages adjacent to the NSPSF engagement of local communities will be an important component in the management of the IMP. One of the objectives of the Buffer Zone Management is to integrate the community into the forest management activities carried out in NSPSF, foster goodwill and understanding amongst the community. Communities should also play a key role in the Cooperative Fire Management Plan. The state government needs to review and approve this plan and to allocate or generate adequate resources to support its implementation. Sources of funds to support implementation include State budgets, Federal funding as well as grants from international sources such as ASEAN, GEF and the European Union. Funds can also be developed through development of Carbon financing projects as well as generating private sector support through CSR and partnership activities. vii RINGKASAN EKSEKUTIF Pengenalan Dokumen ini adalah Pelan Pengurusan Bersepadu (IMP) sepuluh tahun bagi Hutan Paya Gambut Selangor Utara bagi tempoh 2014-2023. IMP ini mengemaskini pelan awal bagi tempoh 2000-2010. Adalah perlu untuk mengemaskinikan pelan itu bagi mencerminkan keadaan semasa di lapangan dimana beberapa parameter / pembolehubah seperti pengukuhan undang-undang dan moratorium pembalakan yang telah dijalankan. Ia juga mengambilkira kajian-kajian penting dan aktiviti-aktiviti lain yang dijalankan di bawah Projek APFP komponen Malaysia di NSPSF dari 2011-2014. Hutan Paya Gambut Selangor Utara (NSPSF) terdiri daripada empat hutan simpan - Hutan Simpan Raja Musa, Hutan Simpan Sungai Karang, Hutan Simpan Bukit Belata Tambahan (sebahagian) dan Hutan Simpan Sungai Dusun. Ringkasan jumlah kawasan NSPSF adalah seperti di Jadual 1.