MKS - NEWS

Perak Quarry ops to be relocated

nospam@example.com (Robert P) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:15:22 +0800

Perak quarry ops to be relocated
NST 3 July 2009

Jaspal Singh

Ipoh: Thousands of residents living in the vicinity of rock and limestone quarries in Perak can begin heaving sighs of relief. The state government has announced that it will be relocating quarry operations to alternative sites, far away from densely populated areas. Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the state government would be implementing zoning system to rid residential areas of air and noise pollution emanating from the quarries. He says steps was being taken as the state government wanted to tackle the woes of residents living near quarry sites, who, for years have been complaining about health and environmental problems related to quarry activities.---CONTINUED

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Letter to the Editor, NST 7th July 2009
In response to the article on relocating Quarries NST (3rd July)

Dear Sir,

The Malaysian Karst Society (MKS) lauds the Perak State Government's decision to relocate quarry operations to alternative sites (NST 3 July 2009). However, MKS would like to urge the Perak State Government to go one step further. The State Government should consider using its abundant underground limestone resource instead of quarrying other above ground limestone hills. That would be like cleaning up one mess only to mess up another area. ---CONTINUED

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Size matters when it comes to conserving Malaysia’s limestone karsts

nospam@example.com (Robert P) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:59:08 +0800

PRESS RELEASE : 4th Nov 2008

Some of the Earth’s most spectacular limestone formations can be found in Malaysia. For example, the world’s largest natural underground chamber, Gua Nasib Bagus, can be found in the limestone karsts of Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak.
Recognized as ‘arks of biodiversity’, karsts are home to many unique species of birds, bats, insects, snails, fish, mammals and plants. Animals inhabiting karsts provide important ecosystem services such as pollination and pest control in surrounding areas.
Unfortunately, many karsts in Malaysia are being quarried for cement and marble, with logging activities and land clearance around it also degrading these biodiversity havens.
A team of biologists have come up with a scientific basis to identify limestone karsts for protection.
Using data from 43 karsts across Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, the study discovered that larger karsts, particularly those more than 1 km sq., deserve greater protection as they contain higher numbers of endemic land snails, and potentially other endemic plants and animals.

“Larger areas tend to have greater habitat diversity, which enables them so support a higher number of unique species.” says Reuben Clements, lead author of the study published in the November issue of the journal Biological Conservation.
“The protection of karsts has been mainly ad hoc and they are usually spared from quarrying by virtue of being situated within state and national parks, or if they possess some form of aesthetic or cultural value.” says Clements.
In addition, groups of karsts that have been isolated from other groups by geographical barriers such as mountains and rivers potentially contain significantly distinct species compositions.

“Taking Peninsular Malaysia for example, our results now suggest that we should aim to set aside larger karsts on both sides of the Titiwangsa mountain range for protection if we want to maximize the conservation of endemic species” added Clements. “Protecting large karsts in Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu is not enough. We have to ensure that the larger karsts in Selangor, Perak, Kedah and Perlis are protected as well”.
Concerns were recently highlighted regarding the potential quarrying of Gunung Jebak Puyuh, a pristine karst located in Pahang.
“This study shows that our concerns over the quarrying of Jebak Puyuh are warranted because its area is more than 1 km sq.” says Hymeir Kamarudin, President of the Malaysian Karst Society.
Indeed, the study found seven species of snails restricted to that area, compared to just one species on a much smaller karst measuring 0.06 km sq. located further south.
“It is not surprising that a large number of unique species of plants and animals have been and continue to be recorded from Jebak Puyuh.” added Hymeir.
Pressure to mine karsts for limestone is likely to increase. A previous study by Clements showed that Southeast Asia has the greatest annual average increases in limestone quarrying - 5.7 percent a year.
“With our findings, we hope that state governments would reconsider issuing mining concessions for larger karsts as they tend to be more biologically important.” says Clements.
“Mining companies should also look towards extracting abundant limestone deposits below ground instead of leveling Earth’s precious biodiversity arks”.

For further information, please contact Reuben Clements at: rclements@wwf.org.my or call +60132183992.

Previous press on studies on limestone karst conservation and biodiversity authored by Reuben Clements:
news.nationalgeographic.com/news
www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/science
www.nature.com/nature/journal

Gua Puncak News articles

nospam@example.com (Robert P) — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:37:25 +0800

Gua Puncak under threat of quarrying

Here are some of the various News articles regarding the threat of destruction of caves which have historical, environmental and aesthetic value, located in Gunung Lanno.

Sin Chew Newspaper dtd: 11-05-06	Nanyang Newspaper dtd 11-05-06	The Star dtd: 12-05-06	The Star dtd:25-05-06
The Star dtd: 25-05-06	The Star dtd: 26-05-06	The Star dtd: 05-06-06	The Star dtd: 07-06-06