Protect

Strengthening of Protected Areas System of Peninsular Malaysia

Protected areas are crucial for the conservation of natural habitats, species and genetic diversity. In Malaysia, there is much scope for the establishment of more protected areas.

About 59% of the country is still forested but most are not declared as protected areas.

The ‘Strengthening the Protected Areas of Peninsular Malaysia’ programme focuses on terrestrial protected areas with two main objectives to:

• Facilitate the establishment of new protected areas, particularly in the northern part of Peninsular Malaysia with the most remaining forest;
  
• Improve the management of Malaysia’s existing protected areas.
  

WWF-Malaysia has had a long history of involvement in protected area work, starting with Pulau Gaya (in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park in Sabah) in 1975. One of our most significant protected area projects was the Perlis State Park Project (2000-2002) which led to the establishment of the 5,000-hectare Perlis State Park. Our current focus is to provide technical assistance to the Perak state government in establishing the Royal Belum State Park (117,500ha) and the Kelantan state government in establishing the Gunung Stong State Park (21,950ha). In addition, we are also proposing for a protected area within the Ulu Muda area (120,000 ha) in the state of Kedah.