CFS Ecological Corridor Established To Protect Wildlife, Biodiversity

KUALA PILAH (MALAYSIA), Oct 21 (Bernama) -- The Negeri Sembilan government has set up its central forest spine (CFS) ecological corridor to serve as the backbone of a network of environmentally sensitive areas, as part of efforts to safeguard its biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Its Chief Minister Aminuddin Harun said the CFS project aimed at conserving segregated or fragmented forests due to the infrastructure development activities such as highways and plantations. “The fragmentation of these forests has led to wildlife being forced out of their natural habitat and this can be seen with the increased conflicts between the wildlife and humans, also an increased of wildlife road kill cases. “For Negeri Sembilan, there are two ecological corridors have been identified, namely, the Secondary Linkages 6 (SL6) at the Triang forest reserve and SL7 located between the Angsi and Simpan Berembun forest reserves. “These two areas are selected following the segregation of the forest reserves (Angsi and Simpan Berembun) due to the existence of Jalan Bukit Putus and Jalan Seremban-Kuala Pilah,” he said when launching the Negeri Sembilan CFS Roadshow at the Ulu Bendul Eco Park, near here, on Monday. Negeri Sembilan, he said, has a total forest reserve area of ​​155,549 hectares with 40 per cent of it was classified as protected forest and the state government was fully committed to implement sustainable forest management. “Also, the development and management of the CFS ecological corridor will be enhanced through the establishment of the state technical working committee of the central forest spine (JKTNP-CFS) chaired by state Economic Planning Unit (UPEN) director Muhamad Nahar Mohd Sidek and the state Forestry Department as the implementing agency. Aminuddin said rare tree species planting efforts were also carried out annually in the CFS areas, while integrated enforcement operations were carried out periodically to detect forest encroachment and poaching activities. “The installation of the camera trap in the CFS areas has successfully recorded 15 species of wildlife including tapir, panther, sun bear and others. “I hope that the CFS Roadshow will create more awareness among members of the public on the existence of wildlife especially when using roads in the CFS area,” he said, adding that tapir involved in most wildlife roadkill accidents recorded along Jalan Seremban-Kuala Pilah. -- BERNAMA