Some articles from the past. I hope under the new JKP3 committee the urban forest will continue to develop for the recreation and enjoyment of all residents...
Selangor Times: Urban jungle among USJ homes
Writer: Brenda Ch'ng Published: Fri, 18 Nov 2011
SUBANG JAYA: A fresh patch of green is emerging among residential homes in USJ3A thanks to a push by locals for an urban jungle in their backyards.
Last Friday, residents and students planted 1,111 trees during the soft launch of the state’s first urban forest at Persiaran Setia.
The saplings will fill part of the 7.861 acres of green lung, the size of eight football fields, which has been gazetted as a green recreational land called the Urban Community Forest.
The unused plot, owned by Subang Jaya Municipal Council, sits between residential homes in USJ3A and USJ3C.
“This jungle will be both recreational and educational for children to learn about forest trees and rare species,” said MPSJ president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi.
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| MPSJ president Datuk Asmawi Kasbi (second right) planting a tree with MPSJ councillor R Rajiv (beside Asmawi) with Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne (standing second right), Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh (third right) and USJ residents. |
The RM3 million project will be completed in phases next year, and will include facilities such as a jogging track, gazebo and a picnic area.
“We are targeting to plant up to 10,000 trees in the forest by next year, to fill the land and to reduce carbon footprint,” said Asmawi.
Each sapling costs RM100 and was donated by various organisations.
MPSJ has also engaged the State Forestry Department, Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and Malaysian Institute of Planers (MIP) to be advisers for this project.
The urban forest, mooted by the USJ residents committee, has now been included in MPSJ’s 2011-2012 strategic plan, which calls for more trees to be planted in the municipality.
The site was chosen by the residents who wanted to prevent overdevelopment.
“The [residents committee] has fought real hard over the years to preserve any green land they see in their neighbourhood and have been pushing for it,” said MPSJ councillor R Rajiv.
Rajiv, who is the chairperson of the residents committee in his area, commended MPSJ for cooperating with the community.
Joining them at the tree-planting event was Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh, who hoped that other councils would similarly set aside land for an urban forest in their area.
“It is important for a developed city to have an urban jungle as children do not even know what a forest is anymore,” she said.
Yeoh said to make that happen, communities should fight hard for sustainable development to preserve land and gazette it as a green area.
“Other councils can even add animals or fruit trees in their urban jungle,” she said.
Dusun Di Dalam Bandar Bagi Taman USJ2
By EDWARD R. HENRY ewdard@thestar.com.my
A PRIVATE firm has planted 100 fruit trees as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) project on a hillock off Jalan USJ2/2R.
The project, called People’s Orchard, was one of Saint Gobain Construction’s efforts to create a park for the public to come and relax.
Subang Jaya assemblyman Hannah Yeoh said that the top portion of the hillock that once housed radar equipment for the Department of Civil Aviation had been dismantled and the land handed over to the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).
“With fruits trees grown on top of the hillock and a public park built around it, the park is now a good place for recreational activities. Trees like mango, ciku, soursop, honey guava, kedondong, rambutan and pulasan trees have been planted,” she said.
MPSJ councillor Rajiv Rishyakaran said people would be able to reap the fruits of this labour, literally, in years to come.
Earlier Yeoh, who met the residents living around the area, said she had come to check on the newly installed floodlights and two sets of park table/benches at the park that residents had requested a few months ago in a dialogue session.
“The RM8,730 for the one pole with two lamps and the RM5,000 for the two park tables and eight benches came from my service centre’s allocation. Now, I just want the people to care for the facilities. With the floodlights installed it would help to bring down the crime rate. On the issues of graffiti, vandalism and discarded broken bottles, we need the help of the Subang Jaya district police to conduct patrols in the neighbourhood,” she said.
Yeoh added that her approach has helped to build a strong network with the residents.
Resident Y. Sela said the added facilities and the fruit trees in the park made it a better place for walks in the morning and evening.
“We are a close knit community and improved facilities at a park will augur well as this will encourage neighbours to come out in the late evenings and mingle around,” he said.
Tuan Hj Ghazali bin Shaari
Encik Richard Yeoh Yong Woi
Selangor Times
