IPOH, Dec 28 (Bernama) -- Perak recorded a growth in Mangrove Swamp Permanent Reserve Forest (HSK) area from 4.1 per cent in 2010 to 4.3 per cent in September this year, the State Legislative Assembly was told today.
Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the change in size and percentage of forest and mangrove swamp areas was due to the repeal and declaration of HSK under the National Forestry Act 1984 (Usage) 1985 for the purposes of settlement, agriculture, mining, industry and others.
"As of September, the acreage of HSK in Perak was 986,862 hectares, which is 47 per cent of the state's land area. Of this total, 944,451 hectares are terrestrial forests and 42,410 hectares marine swamp forests (mangrove forests).
"The acreage from 2010 to 2022 is consistent at 47 per cent. While the mangrove swamp HSK area increased from 4.1 per cent (2010) to 4.3 percent (2022) compared to the overall HSK area.
"This increase is the State Government's commitment to achieve the target of 50 per cent of the state's land area being HSK," he said in response to a question from Wong May Ing (DAP-Pantai Remis) regarding the protection of forest reserves and mangrove forests during today's question and answer session.
Saarani said the Perak Forestry Department together with the State Land and Minerals Office were working to further gazette government land that has been approved by the State Executive Council as HSK with an area of approximately 5,472 hectares.
According to him, out of HSK's total area of 986,862 hectares, forest exploration involving agricultural, industrial and mining activities totalled 1,281.02 hectares.
-- BERNAMA
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