are to educate the school students about their immediate peatland environment
and impart knowledge about the ecosystem, through visits and demonstrations.
It is also a platform to mobilize youngsters by instilling the spirit of scientific
inquiry into environmental problems and involving them in the efforts of
environmental preservation.
(b) North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest (NSPSF) Centre of Excellence (COE).
The COE is located at the Forest Compartment 73 within the Raja Musa
Forest Reserve and was established in the late 2014 by the Selangor State
Government and Selangor State Forestry Department. The objectives of this
COE are to serve as an education centre for visitors on peat forest reserve and in
the future, as a base for researchers, students, and those who are working on
peatland conservation. It will function as a centre for collecting and disseminating information relevant to the peat swamp forests.
24.5 Conclusion
The implementation of community-based peatland rehabilitation programme is a
successful pioneer initiative in Malaysia. The local community, without any significant economic incentives, has been profoundly engaged in forest conservation and
protection. Researchers (e.g. Prospere et al. 2016) reported that participatory management, through the establishment of local forestry management committees, has
been successful in swamp forest conservation initiatives in a number of African
countries. The commitment of the government and stakeholders in Malaysia towards
successful collaboration, creation of awareness about the importance of peatlands, as
well as motivation and formation of social capital between the local community and
external agencies facilitated the effective community participation in the
programme. The community-based peatland rehabilitation programme enhances
social capital, which in turn facilitates sustainable management of natural resources
(Nath et al. 2016; Orchard et al. 2015; Chinangwa et al. 2016). The establishment of
the FPSF is a milestone in the capacity building of the community to create
environmental awareness among the younger generation.
Apart from organizing important environmental events, the community-based
peatland rehabilitation programme has initiated several income-generating activities
including homestead nursery, agrotourism, ecotourism, and handicraft enterprise in
the locality that encouraged local people to participate in environmental conservation. The societal and environmental values of the peatlands should be conserved for
the welfare of the society and the environment, and that the participation of the local
community in the conservation and rehabilitation of resources is crucial. This kind of
collaboration among the community people, NGOs, and state agencies can be
promoted in the management of the country’s natural resources where the relationships between community and natural environment are interconnected. This is
particularly important for the natural resources policy makers to understand the
importance of the peatland to local communities, and benefits of community-based
24 Sustainable Peatland Management Focusing on Community-Based Peatland. . .
661
and impart knowledge about the ecosystem, through visits and demonstrations.
It is also a platform to mobilize youngsters by instilling the spirit of scientific
inquiry into environmental problems and involving them in the efforts of
environmental preservation.
(b) North Selangor Peat Swamp Forest (NSPSF) Centre of Excellence (COE).
The COE is located at the Forest Compartment 73 within the Raja Musa
Forest Reserve and was established in the late 2014 by the Selangor State
Government and Selangor State Forestry Department. The objectives of this
COE are to serve as an education centre for visitors on peat forest reserve and in
the future, as a base for researchers, students, and those who are working on
peatland conservation. It will function as a centre for collecting and disseminating information relevant to the peat swamp forests.
24.5 Conclusion
The implementation of community-based peatland rehabilitation programme is a
successful pioneer initiative in Malaysia. The local community, without any significant economic incentives, has been profoundly engaged in forest conservation and
protection. Researchers (e.g. Prospere et al. 2016) reported that participatory management, through the establishment of local forestry management committees, has
been successful in swamp forest conservation initiatives in a number of African
countries. The commitment of the government and stakeholders in Malaysia towards
successful collaboration, creation of awareness about the importance of peatlands, as
well as motivation and formation of social capital between the local community and
external agencies facilitated the effective community participation in the
programme. The community-based peatland rehabilitation programme enhances
social capital, which in turn facilitates sustainable management of natural resources
(Nath et al. 2016; Orchard et al. 2015; Chinangwa et al. 2016). The establishment of
the FPSF is a milestone in the capacity building of the community to create
environmental awareness among the younger generation.
Apart from organizing important environmental events, the community-based
peatland rehabilitation programme has initiated several income-generating activities
including homestead nursery, agrotourism, ecotourism, and handicraft enterprise in
the locality that encouraged local people to participate in environmental conservation. The societal and environmental values of the peatlands should be conserved for
the welfare of the society and the environment, and that the participation of the local
community in the conservation and rehabilitation of resources is crucial. This kind of
collaboration among the community people, NGOs, and state agencies can be
promoted in the management of the country’s natural resources where the relationships between community and natural environment are interconnected. This is
particularly important for the natural resources policy makers to understand the
importance of the peatland to local communities, and benefits of community-based
24 Sustainable Peatland Management Focusing on Community-Based Peatland. . .
661