SELANGOR Tourism, Consumer Affairs and Environment Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong said that the Kota Damansara Forest Reserve nearly became a victim of development recently.

She said the state had prevented several possible attempts by stopping the degazetting of 121.4ha of the area given to Permodalan Negeri Selangor Bhd (PNSB) several years ago.

Wong said the state was also in the process of recovering a further 121.4ha from the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS) and several other companies that were given verbal assurances.

Wong, who was officiating at the Canon Goes Green event at Padang Kota Damansara yesterday, also said the state hoped to increase the percentage of forest reserves to 40%.

She said the move had been suggested in discussions with the state Forestry Department and the Town and Country Planning Department but no decision had been made yet.

According to her, the state was looking into re-acquiring land and restoring logged areas as some of the steps to achieve this.

“Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has mentioned that some 5,000ha of forest reserve land has disappeared in the past five years and the state has to put its foot down to stop illegal deforestation,” she said.

More than 700 people turned up as early as 7.30am to plant tree saplings at the public park comprising 4.04ha of forested area and 3.24ha of open fields.

The event was organised by Canon Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd, the Global Environment Centre (GEC), the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and the Selangor Forestry Department.

Wong urged individuals and corporations to commit themselves to long-term environmental conservation efforts.

She said that corporations were displaying increased concern but had not taken a pro-active role in minimising the negative impact their operations had on the environment.

She also encouraged the private sector to work with the state on such initiatives.

Canon president and chief executive officer Liew Sip Chon noted that the company was developing a proposal with GEC for a three-year programme to enhance facilities for environmental activities in the area.

“This tree-planting event will be a first step to establish a venue to teach the younger generation about their priceless natural heritage through entertaining education-based activities,” he said.

MBPJ service management department deputy secretary Ahmat Mohaayen Said, who represented Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman, said the council was ready to work with them in establishing a community action and forest management plan using the Local Agenda 21 concept.

He added that the council was in the process of gazetting Padang Kota Damansara as a green lung.

He also highlighted the council’s own green campaign that required each of its staff to plant five shrubs or trees.

“We aim to plant some 8,500 plants but we are still short by about 3,000,” he said.