Illegal Logging in Hutan Bubu Forest Reserve

IPOH, Tues. – Several hundred trees at the Hutan Bubu forest reserve near Bukit Gantang have been illegally felled in the past few months.

The trees felled are mostly of the tualang, meranti and merbau species, with some specimens believed to be more than 100 years old.

State Forestry director Razani Ujang, who confirmed the logging activity today, said the department had been informed.

He said the logging was carried out by a company hired by the villagers to do some clearing work in the area. However, the company had encroached the forest reserve and as a result several hundred trees had been felled.

Razani did not say how many hectares were affected, though sources claim nearly 1,000ha had been cleared.

He said forestry officials had visited the site had cordoned off the area. They also sealed three bulldozers which had been used for the clearing activities.

Razani said the Larut-Matang-Selama forestry office had been directed to submit a full report to the department as soon as possible.

Earlier, a source informed the New Straits Times that the illegal felling of trees had polluted the water catchment area at the forest reserve. He said debris from logging activities had also polluted several tributaries.

He added that villagers near the forest reserve had only become aware of the activity in the last two months.