Title
Virgin Jungle Reserves of Peninsular Malaysia: Small protected areas in logged forest
Author(s)
Laidlaw R.K.
Published
1998
Publisher
Commonwealth Forestry Review
Abstract
The Virgin Jungle Reserves (VJR) of Peninsular Malaysia are a network of small protected areas largely located within selectively logged natural forest. Their two main purposes are to provide: (a) undisturbed areas of natural vegetation for non-destructive scientific research, in particular control sites for forest research; (b) protected examples of the country's national heritage as nature reserves. There have been numerous calls for greater emphasis to be put on the second major aim of the network. Because the network is made up of very small areas of forest, this factor has in the past contributed to its neglect and the network is not considered to be complete in implementation by its own Rules. The network, therefore, requires consistent management and protection and also extension. This can largely be done by ensuring that rules of the VJRs are consistently applied. It is concluded that such networks have an important role to play in biodiversity conservation and that the VJR network in Peninsular Malaysia could be used as a 'template' for any country which does not yet have its own system of small protected areas but which does have both the natural resources (i.e. forest) and the infrastructure (i.e. a Forestry Department) to support such a system.
Keywords
environmental management; forest management; jungle reserves; logging; protected area; Malaysia, Peninsular
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