Page 16 - AW MayJune 19

SPECIAL INSIGHT

Protecting water resources through

reforestation

and source of livelihood for communities living nearby.
At its optimal condition, the peat swamp forest retains
heavy rainfall and gradually releases water during the
dry season. However, the function is lost when the land
is degraded due to weather conditions and forest fire.
Protection and rehabilitation of peatland will sustain our
water supply in the long run, besides functioning as an
efficient carbon storage to regulate earth temperature.
Reforesting one hectare of peatland offsets 2,000 tonnes
of soil carbon, which is equivalent to the annual emissions
from 1,400 cars,’’
“The initiatives by SPARK Foundation and the GEC
in protecting, rehabilitating and conserving the Raja
Musa Forest Reserve are truly commendable. SPARK
Foundation’s effort is a significant step that demonstrates
their commitment in protecting our water source and
he Raja Musa peat swamp forest in Batang Berjuntai reducing carbon emissions. I urge that more corporates
Twhich was once considered a wasteland is being embark on similar high-impact projects to help us build
rehabilitated through reforesting one hectare of degraded a greener and more sustainable tomorrow,’’ he added.
peatland and with a proposed construction of a 300-meter Renuka Indrarajah, Trustee of SPARK Foundation
clay dyke. said, “We have made conscious efforts to manage
This noble gesture is part of the commitment by SPARK our environmental performance through our river
Foundation in protecting water resources. Recently, rehabilitation and alternative water supply solution
the Foundation through its 2nd year Water Stewardship programmes across the country since 2007. To that end, we
Agenda 2018-2020, supported the Global Environment have committed RM11million till 2020 to protect our water
Centre (GEC) in its work with the Selangor Forestry resources through a more holistic approach in improving
Department in preserving the peat swamp forest. watershed health.” She added that enabling through
These two high impact initiatives are expected to store strategic collaborations and high-impact projects, Spark’s
up to 200 million litres of water annually. The Raja Musa projects will be beneficial for the surrounding communities
peat swamp forest in Selangor is a vast area of 35,656 and the planet in the long run.
hectares, equivalent to about 50,000 football fields within Reiterating further, Renuka said there is an urgent need
this area. Peat swamp forest cover more than a third of the for all stakeholders to step-up efforts in protecting water
total permanent forest reserves in Selangor and imagine
the importance of preserving them.
The construction of a 300-meter dyke within this area
with a depth of 5-meter and 1.5-meter wide acts as
water storage and the high water table increases natural
forestation that supports biodiversity and wildlife habitat.
The clay dyke is also an effective fire prevention method
due to its increased moisture on land. It also reduces the
occurrence of forest fires. Peatland fires were common
occurrences in the past as the peat swamp forest was a
hotspot for logging and burning of agricultural waste, way
back in the 1950s. These illegal land clearing also caused
disruption of the natural peat swamp forest ecosystem.
Dato’ Haji Dr. Mohd Puat B. Dahalan, the Director of
the Selangor State Forestry Department, was on-site to
share the importance of preserving peat swamp forests.
He said, “The Raja Musa peat swamp forest functions
as a water storage and supply for the surrounding
communities, in addition to biodiversity conservation area

14 MAY/JUNE 2019 Asian Water