Urban Green Space Issues and Trends in Malaysia

Learning From The Past to
Move into the Future:
Urban Green Space Issues
and Trends in Malaysia
Noor Azlin Yahya
Ecotourism and Urban Forestry Program, Forestry Division,
azlin@frim.gov.my
www.frim.gov.my
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Kepong, 52109,
Selangor.
MALAYSIA
•Population
Multi-ethnic communities
•Population estimated at
29,620,200
•Bumiputeras including Malays,
62.3%,
•Chinese, 22%
•Indians, 6.7%,
•Other races (citizens): 0.9%
and non-citizens at 8.1%
http://www.vmy2014.com/aboutvmy2014/fast-facts
www.frim.gov.my
1 million migrants?
Urbanisation in Malaysia
•1980: 35% of Malaysian population
living in urban areas
•1995: 55%
•Today: 73% of population stay in
cities and towns
•By 2020: 75%
•Klang Valley: 8,173 sq. km, 25%
M’sian population
•Population growth rate: 1.542%
Urban population %
2009
2010 2011 2012
Malaysia
71
72
73
73
http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
www.frim.gov.my
Urbanization rate
•Malaysia (3.9%)
•Cambodia (6.2%)
•Lao PDR (6.1%)
•Singapore (1.0% )
URBANIZATION IN MALAYSIA
Population density (people per sq.
km) in Malaysia
Population in urban agglomerations of
more than 1 million in Malaysia
Population in urban agglomerations of
more than 1 million (% of total
population) in Malaysia
Rural population in Malaysia
Rural population growth (annual
%) in Malaysia
Rural population (% of total
population) in Malaysia
Urban population growth (annual
%) in Malaysia
Urban population in Malaysia
2000
2010
55.1
71.3
86.4
1,120,411
1,936,839
2,647,189
6.2
8.3
9.3
9,087,877
8,897,665
7,895,482.
1.3
-0.9
-1.7
50.2
38.0
27.8
4.4
4.4
2.9
9,015,463
14,517,243
20,505,534
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/malaysia/urban-population-percentof-total-wb-data.html
Urban green space is important to balance
the density and distribution of the population
www.frim.gov.my

1990
URBAN GREEN SPACE
Physical and Social
Contributions
Social
Ecological
Aesthetics
www.frim.gov.my
Economy
education and
recreation benefits
Besides ecological
functions and
engineering benefits:
 Habitats for
conservation of
biodiversity
 Relate to cultural
values
 Educational
recreation
 Therapeutic benefits
experience to
personality
development
www.frim.gov.my
 Impacts of green
Ecotourism and Urban Forestry Programme,
Forest Research Institute Malaysia
Objective:
 To develop effective management
practices and techniques in
recreational and urban forest
environments that will benefit
human livelihood and enhance
quality of life.
R&D themes:
management
 Recreation programming/ nature
education
 Ecotourism: nature based and low
impact
 Landscaping and arboricultural
techniques
7
www.frim.gov.my
 Urban and recreation forest
Urban Forestry at FRIM





campus management
Ecotourism and urban forestry
application
A model of an urban forest &
ecotourism site
Live plant specimens for
reference
Park management
FRIM Urban Forestry
research is supported by
multidisciplinary experts in
various fields, e.g. botany,
bio-technology, socioeconomy etc.
8
www.frim.gov.my
 Experience from FRIM’s
Urban Forestry: 1970-1980’s
9
www.frim.gov.my
 KL greening activities during late 70’s & early 80’s
 FRIM involvement with Kuala Lumpur City Hall
 Introduced spesies like Hopea odorata, Pometia pinnata, Saraca
thaipingensis Elatariospermum tapos etc.
 Late 80’s: Taman Botani Negara (National Botanical Gardens, Taman Tun
 Early plantings at Lake Garden, Tasik Titiwangsa
 Provide forest trees to local govts. and schools
 Saving trees from effects of road construction
1996-2000
Research study: Selection,
establishment and maintenance
of indigenous tree species for
the urban environment
PLANTS AS AIR
POLLUTION
INDICATOR
 Improve and develop
appropriate techniques for the
establishment and maintenance
indigenous forest trees in the
urban environment.
 Quantify the extent of urban
trees and its role in
enhancement of the urban
environment.
Syzygium grande (Sea apple):
a possible bio-filter to air pollution
 Enhance greater awareness on
 Monitor pests and diseases of
major urban trees species
10 causes of pest
 Determine the
and disease outbreaks and
www.frim.gov.my
the roles of trees in urban
areas.
2001-2006
Nutritional status and
fertilizer
requirement of
selected urban trees
Effect of plant growth
regulators on urban
trees
Measurement of
leaf area index
www.frim.gov.my
•Domestication of Selected Indigenous
Trees and Other Plant Species for
Landscape and Horticulture Uses
•The Twinning Programme:
Multipurpose Forestry In A Changing
Society - Urban Forestry and Urban
Greening
- Nature Interpretation and
Communications
•School Gardening and Greening
Project
•Assessment of bird assemblages and
occurrence in different habitat types in
urban environment
•Assess Needs, Benefits and
Effectiveness of Environmental
Education for Plant Conservation
•Carbon Sequestration Potential of
Forests and it’s
Vulnerability to Climate Change
Measurement of net
photosynthesis
Growth Assessment of Planted Trees Species in Urban
Areas and Their Cost-Effective Management Measures
Lagestromia speciosa (flowering)
Photosynthesis analyser (“LCA4”)
Chlorophyll Flourescence Meter (“Plant Efficient
Analyser”)
www.frim.gov.my
Lagestromia speciosa: Waterponding (environmental stress)
Research projects 2006 - 2010
Aesthetic enhancement of urban landscapes
1. Growth performance of planted forest species in
urban areas
2. Evaluation of potential forest species in the
urban environment
3. Flower induction of urban ornamental plants
Environmental and socio-economic assessment of
urban parks and recreational forests
1. Developing performance indicators to evaluate
green space based on selected urban parks of
Kuala Lumpur
2. Assessment of nature education centres in
Malaysia
3. Recreational opportunities for the disabled
4. Nature interpretation and communications
www.frim.gov.my
Improvement of arboricultural management
practices
1. Mapping and documentation of urban vegetation
2. Risk assessment of heritage trees
Flower induction
14
www.frim.gov.my
Tree risk assessment in
Kuala Lumpur
Strategy
Activity
Research 2010-2020
Study on urban green resources in selected
municipalities in Peninsular Malaysia
To conduct research on
systematic evaluation and
integrated management of
urban forest
Development of urban tree inventory and
management systems
Socio-economic evaluation of urban forest
Assessment of arboriculture techniques in urban
areas
Evaluation and development of interpretational
resources to achieve sustainable management of
urban parks and recreational sites
www.frim.gov.my
To evaluate and establish
Study on effectiveness of capacity enhancement
effective communications on trainings related to environmental interpretation.
environmental services
Bridging the gap between urban park
management and environmental
education needs
15
Research Themes for Municipal Council
 Beautification of river corridor at selected sites
 Effectiveness of green elements in enhancing river environment
 Enhancement of ecological effects through natural stormwater
facilities
 Public awareness in river conservation in urban areas
 Evaluation of growth and development of urban trees
 Pterocarpus indicus wilt disease
 Growth of dipterocarps in urban areas
 Amelioration of compacted urban soils to improve urban tree
growth
 Flower induction of selected urban trees
 Interpretation and communication for public awareness
 Mapping social value and meanings of green areas
 Wildlife documentation and education for the public
 Conservation messages in public parks (programmes and
hardware)
www.frim.gov.my
 Trees and mankind
 To develop criteria for heritage trees and its management
 To manage old, big and hazardous trees (Phase 2)
Demonstartion on Visual Tree Assessment for
local governements in various states of
Malaysia
Picus Sonic Tomograph to detect
decay and damage, to be used by
Satff and contractors at local
goverrnents.
www.frim.gov.my
Reducing the
risk of tree
failure
School greening projects
www.frim.gov.my
http://natureschool.frim.gov.my
www.frim.gov.my
TREE INSPECTION AND TREE RISK
ASSESSMENT
Tree Inventory, Mapping and Urban Tree Inventory System
 Tree digital mapping-locating and mapping Global Positioning
System (GPS)
CLIENTS:
Jabatan Senitaman dan Pembersihan Bandar
DBKL
Majlis Perbandaran Taiping
Perbadanan Putrajaya
www.frim.gov.my
Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam
Environmental Education and Recreation Programming
1. Develop EE programmes, educational
materials, effectiveness study for the
purpose of improved facilities and
services
2. Outdoor therapeutical benefits
Nature as healer
www.frim.gov.my
4. FRIM EE for NEC branding
To assess the needs, benefits and effectiveness of environmental education for
plant conservation.
Aquatic insects identification at FRIM’s wetland
Environmental education
on Stream Ecology for
school children
www.frim.gov.my
Aquatic plants identification by using the Wetland
Education Activities Kit
Educational tour in the forest trail on Forest
Ecosystem
Urban Green Space 2014/IFPRA
Urban Forestry Conference, 2006, 2009, 2012
Best of Both Worlds Conferences: Environmental
Education 2005, 2010, 2015
Arborist Certification Courses (First accreditation
in Malaysia), 2004
Nature Education as an Approach to Resource
Management in Recreation Areas, 2003
First National Workshop on Environmental
Education in Forest Recreation Areas, 2001
Tree Climbing Course
Landscaping courses (at least 3 times a year)
Picus Sonic Tomograph demonstrations
Teachers Training on Environmental Education
Interpretation for FRIM’s Nature Guides (4
phases)
Environmental Interpretation in Recreation Areas
23
www.frim.gov.my
Conferences & Training Courses
www.frim.gov.my
Urban Forestry
Conference 2012
www.frim.gov.my
Malaysia:
The Garden Nation by 2020
 10% of areas to be kept
as open space
 Need innovative ways
 Conservation attitude
 Trained personnel
 Biodiversity
enhancement
www.frim.gov.my
 Safety requirements
MyParks
Malaysia Parks, Amenity and
Recreation Society
An association was initiated as far back as 2008
Some technical problems and difficulty to get the committed members
at the same time
Inspirations from Ifpra especially Certification program of Ifpra
Academy, announced in Basel
Promotions during Urban Forestry Conference 2012, we have recruited
more Ifpra members from now
Formally approved by the Registry of Organization Malaysia (ROS), 8
June 2014.
www.frim.gov.my
Pro temp committee: Chair: Dato’ Ismail Ngah, Members: National
Landscape Department, FRIM, University Institute Technology Mara
(UITM), Putrajaya Corporation and a few other Municipal Council reps.
Appoint a certified playground
equipment inspector (CPSI)
through PSAM
www.frim.gov.my
Playground Safety Association
Malaysia (PSAM)
BENCHMARKING THE PARK AND
RECREATION INDUSTRY
David E. Aldous Ph.D.
Institute of Land & Food Resources,
Department of Resource Management and
Horticulture
University of Melbourne-Burnley College
Swan Street, Richmond 3121, Australia
•
Park and recreation agencies in each country
should benchmark themselves against other
countries to ensure that the park, recreation and
leisure services offered are world’s best practice.
www.frim.gov.my
(David Aldous, 2011)
International
Networking
‘There is a certain point in the development
of national organisations of professionals
that a wish arises to connect with
colleagues in other countries’
James McCullough, 2012
 International Union on
Forest Research
Organisation
 6.07.00 – Urban
forestry
 Food for cities (FAO)
 Urban and peri-urban
forestry (UPF)
 http://www.iufro.org/scie
www.frim.gov.my
nce/divisions/division6/60000/60700/
World Urban Park
Initiative (WUPI)
Discussion on Linked-in
http://ifpra.org/
www.frim.gov.my
International Federation of Parks and Recreation
Administration, founded in 1957
Ifpra Academy Certified International
Parks Professional (CIPP)
 The CIPP is awarded to senior professionals who meet a
number of internationally-focused competencies through
their qualifications, training and experience. The
applicant must hold or be eligible for CPP, have 10 years
of senior professional park-related experience, meet 3 of
4 CIPP competencies and 4 of 7 internationally related
activities.
www.frim.gov.my
 Applications at www.ifpra-academy.org.
Establishment of “new”
urban forests
 Planning & design
 Planting
Kuala Lumpur International Airport,
 Management regime
 Arboriculture and Horticulture
Mutiara Rini Park
 Tree inventory and management
system
 Recreation programming
 Development of interpretation
products
 Carbon stock and climate amelioration
 Continuous research, application and
monitoring
www.frim.gov.my
 Ecological and forest function studies
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
 Concept: Airport in the
Forest, Forest in the
Airport
 Transplanting of large
forest trees
 Project duration 1995 1999
 RM 2.2 M satellite
building
 RM 5 M main terminal
www.frim.gov.my
building
Future Projects - 2015 beyond
 Enrichment planting
 Natural urban
landscaping
 Tropical arboriculture
 Inventory on life assets
 Effectiveness of
www.frim.gov.my
Environmental
Education programmes
MOU-FRIM/Boustead (M) Sdn Johor Bahru
Municipal Council
www.frim.gov.my
Started in 1997
Area: 25 ha out of 84 ha of Mutiara Rini Park
- Prepare Landscape Master Plan and detail
development plans for town park
-Species selection, procurement of planting
materials and implement the soft-landscaping
works
-Emphasis on planting of indigenous forest
trees
Management of Live Assets in
a
Malaysia
www.frim.gov.my
•Compulsory since 2008.
•Specific officers for
monitoring, annual reports
on the inventory of plants
as well as animals
•Tree risk assessment to
address public safety
•Systematic and holistic
management for parks and
urban forest management
•Local
governments/municipalitie
s work together with
technical experts
Inventory and
conservation
plan
Sistem Inventori
Pokok (SIPP)
Tree Inventory
System Putrajaya
dan
and
Capacity
building and
community
involvement
Pengurusan
Management
www.frim.gov.my
MoU
Ppj-FRIM
Pilot for 2500
trees at 5 sites
and training
Effective and
efficient Urban
Green space
Management
Learning from
FRIM’s ground
establishment
 Wildlife: Home frogs, birds,
squirrels, butterflies insects,
etc.
 Plants attracting birds e. g.
Ardisia elliptica, Ficus spp.,
Muntingia calabura and
Lepisanthes alata
increase recovery rate in
hospitals; patients less
stressed and need less
nursing
www.frim.gov.my
 Presence of vegetation
Plans for FRIM grounds
 Enrichment planting within
FRIM’s grounds
 Natural urban landscaping
 Tropical arboriculture
 Inventory on life assets
 Effectiveness of Env. Edu
programmes
 Climate amelioration by
www.frim.gov.my
planting in urban areas
Research, application and monitoring
Ecosystem
services
• Hydrology
•Carbon
sequestration
•Microclimate
amelioration
•Ecology
•Wildlife
UGS/Park management
Environmental
Physiology
•Environmental
• stress
•Pollution
•Health indicator
Communications
• Community
participation
• Environmental
stewardship
• Assessment of
ecological and
sociological
benefits
• Willingness to pay
Effectiveness
• Assessment on
effectiveness of
ecosystem
services
• Maintenance
• Training courses
• Environmental
education
• Guidelines
• Other extension
activities
•Benchmarking
•Recreation ecology
•Climate monitoring
•Socio-economic
benefits
•User satisfaction
•Safety and hazard
management
Green space planning
•Planning for new
attractions
• Low impact
recreation
• Identifying users
needs
• Safety
• Health benefits
• In situ and ex-situ
conservation
www.frim.gov.my
Arboriculture
/horticulture
• Plant selection
• Inventory
• Maintenance
• Tree risk
assessment
• Flower induction
•Plant physiology
Catalyst for Research
and Management of
Urban Green Space
Due to people’s love of
nature and the awareness
that green space can make
in conserving the earth’s
natural resources, to
improve the levels of
biodiversity, and protecting
the planet against the agents
of climate change.
www.frim.gov.my
(David Aldous, 2011)