klang mangrove forest reserve management

Mangrove is a type of forest that are widely distributedwithin tropical and subtropical regions. Mangrove canbe identified by its unique type of trees and shrubs thatlive in the coastal intertidal zones, where mostlyconcentrated in estuaries and marine shorelines.

View of the mangrove forest in Pulau Indah (own pic)

The mangrove mud peat soil (own pic)

INTRODUCTIONKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

The mangrove forests are known into three main components, which are the mangrove seed, mangrove leaves and mangrove roots.

MANGROVE SEED

seeds germinate while attached to thetree, increase the chance of surviving.

Seed released when its ready anddropped in to the mud. It makesmangrove propagate rapidly

MANGROVE LEAVESshield from water lost (through evaporation)For some species, salt absorbed will beextracted outThis result some salt crystal on the leavesand drop back into the sea

MANGROVE ROOTSOne or two times a day, low tide expose the surface and its unique root . Spike like structure is called pneumatophors designed to absorbed air quickly while root are not covered by the tide. It can keep out 90% of salt from being absorbed

The germinated mangrove seeds (natgeo.com)

Salt crystal on leaf surface (natgeo.com)

The pneumataphors root (natgeo.com)

COMPONENTSKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

The mangrove forest has a rich sources of fruits of the inhabited animal species. The fruits, such as red mangroveprovide nutritious meals for the monkeys and tree-climbing crabs. Besides that, the rich nectar is also the main dietfor the fruit bats and honey bee species.

On the roots of mangrove trees, the algae found on the surface gives foods for the snails, as well as a source ofprotein for the shrimps and young fishes.

As a biodiversity forest, the mangrove hosts some of the wildlife species, which have lived and adapted theirhabitats to the surrounding. For instance, the birds live in the canopy, while shellfish attached to the roots. Thetangled root is also the nursery-breeding ground for the fish, a perfect hunting ground for the snakes and crocodiles.

Family : Viverridae-Common palm civet Species: Paradoxurushermaphroditus (flickr.com)

Dusky Leaf Monkey Species: Macaca fascicularis (flickr.com)

Great Tit (Parus major) (flickr.com)

FLORA AND FAUNASKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

AKTA HUTAN NEGARA 1984 Klang Islands Forest Reserve

LAW AND ENCORCEMENTKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

In Selangor, mangroves forest covers around 18,088ha. They are mostly located in the west coast of Selangor,from Sabak Bernam in the northern part to Kuala Selangor, Klang in the central to Pulau Carey (concentrated inthe islands and river mouth area of the Klang and Langat River) to Sepang in the down south.

The Klang Islands consist of seven major islands, with two of them are actively inhabited, which are PulauKetam, Pulau Tengah, Pulau Selat Kering, Pulau Selat Gedong, Pulau Che Mat Zin, Pulau Kelang and PulauIndah, formerly known as Pulau Lumut. Only Pulau Ketam and Pulau Indah are actively inhabited by the humanpopulation.

The size of the mangrove forest in these islands covers around 5,612 ha in Pulau Kelang, Pulau Ketam (2,365ha), Pulau Tengah (1,400 ha) and Pulau Che Mat Zin (1,400ha). Almost 72% of mangrove forest reserves inSelangor are located in the Klang district.

Additionally, the area covers most mangrove and mudflats area found in the country, which has listed Malaysiaas the third largest mangrove forest ecosystem in Asia Pacific region, after Indonesia and Australia. (MohamedZakaria, et.al, 2009).

SITE LOCATIONKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

KEY AND LOCATION PLAN

Area = 11960 Ha

72% of mangrove forest reserves in

Selangor are located in the Klang district


While the rest of the islands are thick mangrove forests and mudflats, Pulau Ketam is the main fishery island ofSelangor. With 5,000 population, they are mainly Chinese fishermen, living on the raised stilt architecture,depending on the fisheries and eco-tourism industries.

Pulau Indah is an integral component of Port Klang, has been established as an industrial zone and the base ofthe Westports of Port Klang. It is a modern township area, connected to the mainland via two bridges withmany modern facilities available.

Previously, the Klang Islands Forest Reserve had been gazetted as forest reserve area by the state governmentof Selangor. However, due to the repressing industrial development in the nearby area of Port Klang, the areawas degazetted and lost its status circa 1980s / 1990s. More demands from the industry players led to theestablishment of the Westports and new township development in Pulau Indah in the 1990s.

Pulau Ketam (cuti.my) Westports of Pulau Indah (benlineagencies.com)

BACKGROUNDKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

Consequently, the size and quality of the mangrove were declined soon after. Pulau Indah mangrove wasstood at 3000ham but after the degazettement, only 20% remained which could be disappeared soon.

In 2009, Selangor Forestry Department initiates to regazette the area of the forest reserve, but wasunfruitful.

Klang Islands Forest Reserve, is classified as Type IV by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation ofNature), which is a habitat / species management area, with the aim to protect particular species orhabitats and management. It will need regular, active interventions to address the requirements ofparticular species or to maintain habitats, which is the mangrove area.

Categories of IUCN (sspp.proquest.com)

International Union for Conservation of Nature (en.wikipedia.org)

BACKGROUNDKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

Due to geographical locations of the islands, located on the water body of the Straits of Malacca, mostislands can only be accessed through water transportations, either boats or small ships. Some islandssuch as the inhabited Pulau Ketam has been equipped with jetty for easier transportation.

While for the rest of the islands, no jetty are available, but they can be accessed through the flow ofrivers in the middle of the islands, especially during the high tide.

With the exception of Pulau Indah, it can be accessed by roads, either by cars or lorries, via two mainbridges built on the island, connecting to the mainland of Port Klang on the northeast of the islandand to Carey Island from the southeast. The island is where the main harbour of Westports andindustrial areas are located, thus coining its transportation facilities.

ACCESS TO SITEKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

Main boat route from Port Klang

Main road on Pulau Indah connected from the mainland via two bridges

Main jetty of Pulau Ketam

Westports ofPulau Indah

ACCESS TO SITEKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

As per state by the IUCN, the Klang Island Forest Reserve has been listed as Type IV, which is a habitat /species management area, with the aim to protect particular species or habitats and management. Thus,it advocates a regular, active interventions to address the requirements of particular species or to maintainhabitats, which is the mangrove area.

Presently, most areas of the islands are still intact with the thick mangrove forests and mudflats, with theexception of Pulau Ketam and Pulau Indah, whereby partly areas of Pulau Ketam have been cleared whilealmost all areas of Pulau Indah have been developed, leaving small patches of mangrove forests.

Having no legal protection, the gazetted status by the authoritative body, plus with its close location to thePort Klang, the main and busiest port of Malaysia, it is very much necessary to protect and conserve thesemangrove forests, as this is where the large area of mangrove forest are located in the state of Selangor.

OBJECTIVES OF MANGROVE CONSERVATIONKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

It is also important to retain these valuable forest resources in order tomaintain the natural balance of the site, with the mangrove is home tovaluable species of flora and fauna, as well as the main natural barrierfrom the soil erosions and other climatic problems. It also

The rich biodiversity of mangrove forest a provides habitat for variousspecies of wildlife animals. They also give sources of natural resources foreconomic and social benefits of the local populace, but need to beregulated.

Besides, the mangrove forests of Klang Island would also have theopportunities to be promoted as an eco-tourism destination, due to itsclose locations with the Klang Valley and with its vast and uniquemangrove forests. Currently, small eco–tourism industry has beendeveloped in Pulau Klang, but with less attraction focus on the mangroveforests.

The mangrove forests would also provide an avenue for education andoutreach programme as part of creating awareness towards the publicthrough various outdoor and exploration activities.

Type of flora found (own pic)

The mangrove hardwood (ecopiece.wordpress.com)

OBJECTIVES OF MANGROVE CONSERVATIONKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE1

Mangrove is mainly in tropical and subtropical part of the world

The local weather condition is hot andhumid, depending on the monsoon windseasons, similar to the mainland.

SITE

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, in 2007

NATURAL RESOURCES:SITE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS

KLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE2

SOIL PARENT MATERIALSoil map of peninsular Malaysia (Ministry of Agriculture andFisheries Malaysia 1970) showed that the soil properties in PortKlang are made up of gley soil with alluvial soil on marine andriverine alluvium and subrecent alluvium or gley soil on marineclay (saline gley soil and acid sulfate soils). (Hazzeman Haris andAhmad Zaharin Aris, 2013)

GEOLOGICAL FACTORKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE2

These mangroves thrive at the interface of land andsea, mangroves are subject to changes in freshwaterflow (flow rate, nutrients, pollutants) and to marineinfluences (sea-level rise, salinity).

Salinity has long been recognized as a controllingfactor that determines the health and distribution ofmangrove forests.

FRESH WATERMANGROVE

BRACKISH MANGROVE

MARINE MANGROVE

HYDROLOGYKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE2

Mangroves are commonly found in the intertidal zone(between low and high tides) in a rather broadspectrum of hydrologic settings.

Klang Islands’ wetland experienced shifts inhydrology and salinity levels over the pastcentury as a result of changes in sea level andfreshwater drainage patterns.

Eastern part of Klang straits are mangroves andmudflats with 2 major rivers (River Klang andRiver Langat).

These rivers transport large quantity ofsediment loads.

During low tide, coastal mud flats for seawarddistance range from 1 to 3km

HYDRODYNAMIC AND SEDIMENTATIONKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE2

Good example of estuarine mangrove mudflat system

River nodes :sediment loads

HYDRODYNAMIC AND SEDIMENTATIONKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE2

Strongest tidal is at main channel of KlangStrait.

• Have a strong mixed semidiurnal tide (twohigh waters and two low waters each day),maximum range of 5meters during extremetide and lowest of -0.8meters .

• Diurnal tide happens twice a month(one tidal cycle per day).

MANGOROVE TOLERANCE UNDER VARIABLETIDAL CONDITIONS:

Red mangroves recruits exposed to tidalfluctuation experienced greater growth thanthose confined to static water levels. plantsurvival was not significantly affected byhydrologic treatment except Avisennia family(National Wetlands Research Center, 2003).

TIDAL PATTERNKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE

there is little oxygen in the heavy mud, so mangrove trees adapted their roots to be able to get oxygen without extracting it from the mud.

MAIN MANGROVE STRUCTUREKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE

2. Fringing mangroves

• Fringe mangrove forests are the typicalmangrove zonation pattern.

• grow thin fringe along the coast , floodedwith salt water during each high tide.

• directly exposed to the tides and strongwinds

• do not receive the amount of nutrients asmangroves in riverine mangrove foreststherefore

• most of the time do not exceed an height of10 to 12 meters.

• Dominated by Avicennia, Rhizophora andSonneratia.

• The growth can extend several kilometersinland from the coast.

High tide Low tide

MANGROVE ZONATIONKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE2

Mangroves have evolved features to copechanging regime of tidal water ranges, variablesalinity and temperature, and anoxic soilconditions, but within limits (Tomlinson, 1986)

1. River mangrove forests

• located along edges of coastal rivers,as far upstream as the last point of intrusionof salt water.

• River flow provides rich nutrients - enableriver mangroves to generate thick forestcover.

• Perfect growing conditions for mangroves,sheltered, not exposed to sea waves andstorms,

• enable mangroves to reach a heigt up to 35meters. Most of the

• mangrove species can be found in riverinemangrove forests.


3. Basin mangrove forests

• Water overflow occasionally during dryseason and regularly during wet season.

• During dry season, water level decrease,therefore the salinity is the soil is high.

• The water is slowly flowing.

• Dominated by Avicennia and Rhizophoraspecies.

Wet - High tide Dry - Low tide


MANAGEMENT HISTORY

• 1960:A management plan drafted but no one knows what there commendations were and whether they were implemented. 1970s:Forestry records were destroyed during a big flood in Klang.

• The state government now wants to restore the mangrove forests and manage it according to the rotation logging system practiced at the Matang mangrove forest in Perak.

• State Forestry Department to produces 10 year (2006 to 2015) management plan for the Klang Islands.

MANAGEMENT PLANKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE3

VEGETATION MAPKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE3

V-1: Highest Quality Native Ecosystems

VEGETATIONKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE3

Berus Mata Buaya (Bruguiera hainesii)

Lenggadai (bruiguiera gymnorhiza)

V-2: Predominantly Native Areas

TERUNTUM MERAH@ LUMNITZERA LITTOREA

• Common Name : Teruntum merah

• Family : Lumnitzera littorea

• Is an IUCN RED LIST as lease concern: It is threatened by the loss ofmangrove habitat throughout its range, primarily due to extractionand coastal development

• Habit: tree, up to 6 m-25m tall.

• Habitat: back and sides of mangrove stands (increasing sea level is athreat)

• Uses: construction(durable), firewood, anticeptic.

VEGETATIONKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE3

MANAGEMENT ZONING

A total of 4 management zones identified:–

• Productive Zone (Productive Forest)–

• Restrictive Productive Zone (RestrictiveProductive Forest)–

• Unproductive Zone (Unproductive area)–

• Protective Zone (Protective Forest)

RESOURCES MANAGEMENTKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE3

RM1: PRODUCTIVE ZONE (PRODUCTIVE FOREST)

• productive forest comprising RhizophoraForest, Bruguiera parviflora & mixed ForestBruguieracylindrica Forest.

• For community uses only

RESOURCES MANAGEMENTKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE

RM2: RESTRICTIVE PRODUCTIVE ZONE (RESTRICTIVE PRODUCTIVE FOREST)• a new inclusion, which is necessary to take into

consideration the importance placed on the conservation and maintenance of fragile and sensitive ecosystem within the mangrove forest mangrove forest

• The forests under this category :

• transitional new forest;

• seaward berus berus forest; and forest;

• the dry land dryland transitional forest transitional forest

3

RM2: ROTATION FRAMEWORK

• Previous rotation periods ranged from 20-40 years.

• Current system adopts a rotation period of 30 years.

• Influences by:

site productivity

ecological consideration,

dominant forest type,

competency and availability of contractors,

market preference,

silviculture advancement,

expected forest yield; and

mean diameter of final crop trees.


Protection and conservation

• Allocation of community uses and conservationGuidelines which stipulated that annual sub-coupes should preferably not more than 50 ha tominimize the impact of clear felling on the environment and wildlife.

• Provision of Buffer ZonesTo protect marine life and contain coastal or bank erosion, the retention of a continuous strip oftrees along the bank/shoreline was implemented.

• The additional width along river and coastline would also provide a pleasant landscape for allmangrove users.

• The buffer along rivers also provide ample seed source for the annual planting programe.


RM3: UNPRODUCTIVE ZONE (UNPRODUCTIVE FOREST)

• Bund and Bund Reserve

• Area cut off by the Bund

• Fishing Village Reserve

• Forest complex

• Buffer reserve

RM4:PROTECTIVE ZONE (PROTECTIVE FOREST)

• The fragile and environmentally important important accreting Avicennia and forest dryland, as well as the forest, functional important forests:

-Virgin Jungle Forest;

–Old Growth Forest;

–Educational Forest;

–Research Forest;

–EcoEco--tourism Forest


YEARS OPERATION

-1 Detailed ground survey and recalculation of sub coupes and boundary demarcation.

o All trees are felled, similar to clear felling operation. A 3 - 10 meters buffer zone of all trees along the river bank areretain to prevent or reduce erosion as well as seed propagation.

1 Estimation of areas that need planting. Eradication of invading ferns by manual and chemical means.

2 A final survey to determine and map out the extent and location of sub-coupes requiring planting and refilling. Sub-coupes with less than 90% natural regeneration will be subjected to enrichment planting of R. apiculata (1.2m by1.2m) and R. mucronata (1.8m by 1.8m).

3 First survival enumeration. Refilling imposed if survival of planted seedlings is less than 75%.

MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONSKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE3

MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS

Year Operation

4 Second survival enumeration.

5 Third and last survival enumeration. Sub-coupes which have less than 75% regeneration either through artificial or natural means will be planted with potted seedlings.

6-14 No activity recommended.

15-19 First thinning using 1.2 m stick length.

20-24 Second thinning using a 1.8 m stick length. Procedure similar to thinning 1.

25-29 No activity recommended.

30 Final felling.

MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS

MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONSKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE3

BIODIVERSITY

• As a fertilise oil, the mangrove forest is home to various species of mammals, birdsand herpetofauna.

• The mammal species identified including the common palm civet, Malayan field rat,plantain squirrel, oriental small-clawed otter, and wild pig, long-tailed Macaque,Dusky Leaf Monkey and Long-tongued Nectar Bat.

• For volant small mammals (bat), one species was recorded, which is a fruit bat orLong-Tongued Nectar Bat (Pteropodidae).

• Meanwhile, there are 57 bird species from 26 families were recorded from the studysites, with three reptile species, which are the mangrove skink, monitor lizard andmangrove snake (Norhayati, 2009).

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT PLANKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE4

BIODIVERSITY MAPKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE4

SIGNIFICANT HABITAT

• As indication, the abundance of bird population in Pulau Tengah andPulau Ketam was estimated at 13, 000 individuals representing 26species recorded from a survey done.

• So that, the significance habitats or key biodiversity area among thisKlang Islands are the mudflats area at Northern area of Pulau Klang andPulau Ketam which is facing to the Southern Kapar, since there can befound many of birds species worldwide, until it been one of the studiesarea by many of the researcher around the world.

SIGNIFICANT HABITATKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE4

SIGNIFICANT HABITAT MAPKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE4

THREATENED ANIMAL & MIGRATORY BIRD

• Several type of mammals that been listed by Wildlife Act 1972 asprotected animal under conservation’s status since they seem to be nearto threatened population.

• All of these protected mammals recorded mostly in Pulau Tengah, PulauKetam and Pulau Klang but yet still found in others Klang Islands

• There are several type of shore and seabirds that been categorized asnear threatened and endangered birds such as Brown-winged Kingfisherand Lesser adjutant.

THREATENED ANIMAL & MIGRATORY BIRD KLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE4

THREATENED ANIMAL & MIGRATORY BIRD MAP

KLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE4

The three (3) types of the management plan that been proposed are A1, A2 and A3 which is as described below:

• A1- (Indigenous Revenue Collection)

• A2- (Public Activities)

• A3- (Studies & Conservation purposes)


• A1- (Indigenous Revenue Collection): Only allows indigenous people to collect marine products for personal use.

Indigenous collecting snailsSource: Google Images


• A2- (Public Activities): Can be viewed by the public from a distance by staff supervision.

Boating SightseeingSource: Google Images


• A3- (Studies & Conservation purposes): Can only be access by the staff for conservation and studies purposes.

Staff AccessibilitySource: Google Images


ANIMAL MANAGEMENT PLAN MAPKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE4

An ecotourism programme is no longer an uncommon in many mangrove forests around the world.The unique and pristine beauty of the mangrove forest biodiversity has attracted the people toexplore and appreciate the area. They would experience the intertidal areas in a unique way bycruising the rivers, streams or seas.

Such ecotourism product, which is the mangrove sea or river cruise has been implemented andbecome a hit in some areas. In Malaysia, the Kinabatangan River Cruise is among the popular mangroveswamp cruise across the river. While across the world, the mangrove coastal cruise has been popularised inFlorida and Costa Rica of the United States.

A mangrove cruise tour (greatleap.com.my) The cruise tour boat (interestingplace1.blogspot.com)

ECOTOURISM MANAGEMENTKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE5

Such a programme can be implemented in Klang IslandsForest Reserve, with the jetty of Pulau Ketam can bethe hub for the activity. The vast areas of themangrove forest islands will offer an exciting journeyfor the visitors to experience the wide mangroveislands, with cruising through the rivers and streams ofthe islands and between islands.

Another programme is sea fishing, which has beenintroduced currently by the local tour operators ofPulau Ketam. Though the main activity is fishing, it willin a way introduce the natural beauty of the mangroveforest to the participants.

Jetty facility of Pulau Ketam (snipview.com)

Typical fishing boats in Malaysia (travelyourself.ca)

ECOTOURISM MANAGEMENTKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE5

The designated eco-tourism programme will be covered on certain areas based on the recreationmanagement plan. The management plan has been designed accordance and inline with thevegetation management plan, in order to curb disturbance towards the mangrove re-plantingprogramme.

The recreation areas have been classified as such:

R1 : Heavy Use Areas – This is where the main facilities of the eco-tourism programme arelocated, such as the hub, jetty, office, rest rooms and other facilities.

R2 : Medium Use Areas – The areas where eco-tourism activities are done, it is also where theroutes of the boat cruise are mainly covered.

R3 : Light Use Areas – Boat may be able to cruise and explore along the areas but limited entrydue to the delicate replanting and conservation efforts

R4 : Restricted Use – Areas where the mangrove forest are considered as virgin forest, where ithad never been intruded and used by human activites.

RECREATIONAL MANAGEMENT PLANKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE5

R1

R1

R2

R3

R4

R2

R2

R3

R3

R4

RECREATIONAL MANAGEMENT PLANKLANG ISLANDS MANGROVE RESERVE5