HISTORY OF THE VIRGIN JUNGLE RESERVES (VJRs) OF PENINSULAR MALAYSIA (1947-1992)

Abstract

This paper reviews the history of the Virgin Jungle Reserves (VJRs) of Peninsular Malaysia from 1947 to 1992. VJRs are protected patches (2-2747 ha) of natural forest within a system of forests managed for timber. The VJR network in Peninsular Malaysia has been in existence since 1947 and by 1992, 109 areas had been declared. Of these, 79 VJRs were extant, 30 excised and, in addition, 11 VJRs were proposed. This network has a valuable role to play in biodiversity conservation and forest management in that they can enhance vegetation and certain mammal communities in managed forest. A VJR network could be created in any country which has both the natural resources (i.e. forest) and the infrastructure (i.e. a Forestry Department) to support such a system. It is recommended that the VJR network in Peninsular Malaysia be expanded and strictly monitored and managed and that new VJRs be sited centrally in forest reserves (preferably, occupying at least one compartment and being no smaller than 259 ha) as in 1992 only 22% of forest reserves contained VJRs, 63% of VJRs were sited on the edge of forest reserves, and only 0.5% of the Permanent Forest Estate was included in extant and proposed VJRs.