Naturalist and conservationist of 20 years with the Malaysian Nature Society, Andrew Sebastian firmly believes that it is the responsibility of all Malaysians to get involved in the process of conserving the nation's natural heritage before it's too late.

"This complex contains endemic species found only in the area, such as the Selangor pygmy flying squirrel (Petaurillus kinlochii) and the Langat red fighting fish (Betta livida). Other notables include the Malayan Tapir and the Asian Sun Bear," he says. "This forest reserve also keeps wildlife away from human populations, and this keeps more zoonotic diseases at bay. The Global Gnome project estimates that there are over 1.7 million potential zoonotic diseases that have yet to be discovered from the animal kingdom!"  

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In addition to its rich cornucopia of wildlife and plant species, the KLFNR serves as an important carbon sink and a freshwater catchment area, boasting flood mitigation benefits. How will losing this forest affect climate change?   

"The KLNFR is underlain with a layer of two to four metres of peat which stores more than 1.5 million tonnes of carbon formed over the last 8,000 years," says Sebastian. "The peat swamps contain organic materials that store a huge amount of methane, one of the most harmful of greenhouse gases. Degazetting the forest reserve for development would require draining the peat swamp forest that in turn releases the locked up methane into the atmosphere."

Adds Nathan: "Forests such as this have the capacity to impact air, water, and nutrient cycles, and upsetting this balance could severely impact climate change. It also acts as a green lung for neighbouring areas, providing much needed clean air and oxygen."

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More than just a home to the Temuan orang asli communities, the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve is part of their cultural identity and livelihoods.  

"The Orang Asli community has been living in or around the vicinity of the forest for over 130 years, using the forest as their source of food, place of burial for their dead, and as a way to connect them to nature which is what shapes their culture," Nathan says. "Taking all those away would mean a direct move to decimate their culture."

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