Biodiversity of Bukit Belata, Selangor

The proceeding of a scientific seminar entitled, "Bukit Belata Forest Reserve, Selangor : Management, Physical Environment, Biodiversity and Socioeconomic Environment" published by the Department of Forestry Peninsular Malaysia is officially distributed this week. It contains more tyan 27 papers describing the geology (by Assoc. Profs. Dr. Kamal Roslan & Che Aziz) and water quality of the area (Assoc. Prof. Mohd. Kamil) ; flora (by various botanists) and fauna (by various zoologists) of this logged-over forest reserve and the ethnobotany of the Orang Asli (by Ms. Rosta Harun of Universiti Putra Malaysia). The papers potray the biodiversity of a forest reserve in Selangor which had been logged more tyan once in the past. The forests have generated or recovered, of course not climaxing to be pristine as it was before, but good enough to contain many plant and animal species to make the ecosystem functioning. Many forests in the state of Selangor suffered from logging and other land-use changes as Selangor is the most developed state in Malaysia. Pressures for lands and forest products had been tremendous not only from the Orang Asli who have the Customary Rights over forests and their products but also from developers and land-hungry populations. Except for the forest lining the Titiwangsa Range bordering Pahang and Negeri Sembilan, others have been fragmented so as to render them vulnerable.