From the Ramsar Forum

Malaysian Wetlands Foundation

(posted to the Ramsar Forum, 29 August 1997)

Malaysian Wetlands Foundation

To the members of the Ramsar Forum:

From: Avril (avril@mwf.nasionet.net)

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce to you the Malaysian Wetlands Foundation.

The Malaysia Wetlands Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, was established in March 1997 to undertake the Malaysia Wetland Sanctuary project in Kuala Langat, Selangor, Malaysia.

This world class sanctuary encompasses a myriad of ecosystems, namely, degraded tin mine land, logged peat swamp forests, large open lakes and the Kuala Langat Permanent Peat Swamp Forest (approximately 2500 hectares).

All these are a part of the Multimedia Super Corridor development and the sanctuary will be a showcase of an ICAD (Integrated Conservation and Development) project.

The Malaysia Wetland Sanctuary will complement the nearby Cyberjaya area, which is a garden city of 7,000 hectares.

This sanctuary will give the visitor an insight into the values of wetlands and the wildlife they support.

The Malaysia Wetlands Sanctuary is guided by its principles:

• That the sum of activities undertaken at the Sanctuary will inspire visitors to assist in reversing wetland loss and
• That the activities proposed will improve the net state of the site's environment whilst facilitating human development.

In order to steer towards these principles, the primary objectives of the project and their attributes serve to:

• Rehabilitate and conserve the Peat Swamp Forest and associated wetlands
• Incorporate environmental management and sustainable development, particularly with the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC)
• Enhance South-South cooperation and capacity building in natural resources management particularly in wetlands
• Establish and undertake training and educational initiatives in conservation particularly in wetlands
• Increase the awareness on the importance of wetlands
• Provide recreation

The Sanctuary is targeted to be opened in September 1998.

Patron: His Excellency Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia

Chairman: Datuk Abdul Halim Ali, Chief Secretary of Malaysia

Trustees: Tun Daim Zainuddin, Economic Adviser to the Malaysian Government and Tan Sri Razali Ismail, Current President of the United Nations

Chief Executive Officer: Mr Muralee Menon

Malaysian Wetlands Foundation
No.6A, Lorong Semantan Off Jalan Duta
50480 Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA

Tel: 603-2530121 Fax: 603-2531436/2530141 E-mail: mwf@mwf.nasionet.net

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The Ramsar Forum is an unmoderated mailing list maintained as a service to the public by the Ramsar Convention Bureau in Gland, Switzerland. Facts or opinions posted there do not represent the views of the Convention Bureau or Contracting Parties. For help, contact the list owner (ramsar-owner@indaba.iucn.org).

To join the Ramsar Forum, send this message: <join ramsar-forum>, without the < >, to ramsar-mgr@indaba.iucn.org. For more information on the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, please contact the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ramsar@hq.iucn.org). Posted 29 November 1997, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.