The Raja Musa Forest Reserve has been officially recognised as a regional reference site for peatland conservation and restoration by the ASEAN Task Force on Peatlands (ATFP), marking a significant milestone in Malaysia’s environmental leadership and sustainable land management.
The announcement was made during the 10th ATFP Meeting, hosted by Malaysia in Putrajaya from June 24 to 26. Delegates from seven ASEAN member states—including Indonesia, the Philippines, and Laos—visited the forest reserve to witness firsthand the success of Selangor’s integrated peatland rehabilitation efforts.
ATFP Chairman S.R. Siva Kumar, who also serves as Secretary of the Biodiversity and Forestry Management Division at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), praised the transformation of the reserve from a degraded landscape—once plagued by illegal logging and farming—into a thriving model of ecological restoration.
“Peatland conservation must be a collective priority. Raja Musa stands as a living example of what can be achieved through long-term commitment, inter-agency collaboration, and community engagement,” said Siva Kumar during the site visit.
The Raja Musa Forest Reserve, spanning 23,486 hectares in Bestari Jaya, was gazetted in 1990 and serves as a production forest, research site, and wildlife protection zone. It has been under active restoration since 2012 and was previously recognised under the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy (QCC) initiative in 2017.
Selangor’s success is attributed to its effective Integrated Management Plan (IMP) and its role in the Sustainable Management of Peatland Ecosystems in Malaysia (SMPEM) project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). These efforts have yielded measurable improvements in biodiversity, fire prevention, and carbon sequestration.
Selangor Forestry Department Director Azhar Ahmad emphasized the importance of showcasing the state’s multi-agency approach, which includes scientific research, policy integration, and local stakeholder participation.
The Raja Musa designation aligns with ASEAN’s broader strategy to combat transboundary haze, protect biodiversity, and enhance regional climate resilience through sustainable peatland management.
