Illegal logging in Merapoh, around Gua Hari Malaysia

A report in Sinar Harian on 15 Oct 2017, "Hutan Simpan Merapoh kini makin parah?" (Is Merapoh Forest Reserve getting worse now?), talks about illegal logging and maybe gold mining going on in the Merapoh Forest Reserve. It has happened recently, in Oct 2017. One of the worst areas is in the forest around Gua Hari Malaysia. The water flowing through the cave is now muddy.

"Based on the preliminary investigation with the villagers, there was no direct signboard confirming logging activities. We suspect illegal logging activities or steal gold. They are quite cunning because they operate during the rainy season and are believed to be involved with other parties, ".

"In addition, Merapoh Forest Reserve is known for its wildlife sanctuaries such as elephants, bears, goats, tapirs, tigers and the world's smallest flower breeding grounds."

"This is also the location of an international event that has attracted tourists to Malaysia, the Magnificent Merapoh Trail for three consecutive years since 2015, with almost 30 countries participating in it."

It has been known for a few years that illegal logging is taking place in this area of northern Pahang.
There was also a possibility that Gua Hari Malaysia would be quarried.

I've posted many blogs about the caves and flora and fauna of this area. It seems that everything is in danger of being destroyed - by logging, mining or quarrying.
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UPDATE

On 16 Oct, Bernama published "No Logging In Merapoh Forest Reserve"
No Logging In Merapoh Forest Reserve

KUANTAN, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- The Pahang Forestry Department today stressed that there is no logging or mining activity in the Merapoh Forest Reserve area in Lipis near here, as alleged by a non-governmental organisation posting which went viral on the social media.

Its director Datuk Mohd Paiz Kamaruzaman said the alleged logging activity was actually on land owned by the Agriculture Industrial Development Board (LKPP) and did not involve any forest reserve land.

He said the LKPP had the permit to develop the land and had built a 1.2-kilometre trail in the area to transport forest products before the land is developed.

"The process of making the trail to transport the forest products had been approved by the estate manager. The process does not involve the Forestry Department because there is no forest reserve land involved. It is understood that the trail was made as it was the nearest access to the main road.

"Although it is outside our jurisdiction, we took the initiative to investigate and see for ourselves the track as we were worried it involved forest reserve land. We also met and talked to the land owners.....

This was reprinted in The SUN on 16 Oct "No logging in Merapoh Forest Reserve" and also the Malaysian Digest.

There were 2 articles in The Star on 20 Oct :
‘Look for another trail to Merapoh caves’which is about talks with the locals and the land owners about the trails etc.

Seeing red over deforestation , with a photo of the destruction.

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UPDATE -

Some very depressing photos of the destruction in FreeMalaysiaToday 25 Nov 2017.

Malaysia has the world's highest deforestation rate

Not exactly a caving issue, but one that is related as many areas around limestone hills are being logged.

This Google forest map from 15 Nov 2013 (Mongabay) reveals that Malaysia has the world's highest deforestation rate. A similar report appeared in The Star on 21 June 2013,Nasa: Malaysia sees 115% jump in deforestation.

I'm not going to make any comments on the articles. The point of this blog is that just after the report was published on Mongabay I was caving in the Merapoh area, in Pahang, and I saw the effects of logging.

The first day we went to Gua Cadu which is a remote hill only accessible by logging trucks. The drive took 2 hours each way, and much of that time was spent on logging trails, as well as areas cleared by mine companies.

The following day we went back to Gua Gajah Marah. This is in a hill at the back of Merapoh village. There is a new gravel road leading out of the village and ends at a newly cleared area which will be the new rubbish dump for the area. Beyond this the track goes to a huge expanse of freshly cleared land.

I was shocked as when we were there in Sept 2012 it was thick vegetation and very hard to drive to the cave. Now it is a huge expanse of nothing.

Sept 2012, Gua Gajah Marah hill and entrance -

And Nov 2013 -

The whole area has been cleared -

Anyone who has traveled on the road from Gua Musang south towards Raub, or from Gua Musang to Cameron Highlands will have seen many logging trucks on the road. From the road is is not obvious from where the logs are coming from, but once you leave the main roads and go into the more remote areas that you see vast areas of devastation.

© Liz Price
No reproduction without permission