Biodiversity impact of turning a peat swamp forest into oil palm plantation in Terengganu

The Terengganu state government and a private company want to convert a peat swamp forest into oil palm.

How much wildlife will be killed or forced to leave? A recent survey found 471 species in the site with many more to be discovered with future effort.

Here's a visual representation of the groups.

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About the project

Pure Green Development Sdn Bhd, the developer, is leasing the 2,229ha site from Lembaga Tabung Amanah Warisan Negeri Terengganu.

The planter is seeking Jabatan Alam Sekitar 's approval for its environmental impact assessment (EIA) report. The report is available for public display until 12 August; you can comment on it until 27 August.

The EIA report describes the ecology of the site. It tells us what would be lost if the project proceeds.

Consultants surveyed plants and animals there from Aug 2023 – Jan 2024. They watched with camera traps and binoculars; set nets and cages; recorded calls and counted trees. It's hard work!

Biodiversity on site

Let's start with the trees, shrubs, and grasses. They found 257 species -- that's a lot! -- and they expect there's more to discover in the swamp.

The list includes 2 Endangered tree species: the Meranti paya (Rubroshorea platycarpa) and Balau pasir (Shorea materialis).?

?Mammals? 43 species.

Endangered and Vulnerable species seen were Malayan tapir, long-tailed macaque, pig-tailed macaque, Malayan sun bear and the Yellow-throated marten.

The Critically Endangered Sunda pangolin lives there too, said locals.

What about tigers, you ask?

?No signs of Pak Belang there, but the site is considered tiger habitat and range. A tiger was seen in the district (Kuala Nerus) in 2021, according to PERHILITAN.

?The site has many wild boars, a prey for tigers.

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Birds, 90 species. That includes the Endangered Malay Peacock-pheasant and the Vulnerable Great Hornbill.

Reptiles and amphibians, 51 species. The Malayan gharial and the South Asian box turtle, both Endangered, live on the site. So does the King Cobra, a Vulnerable species.

Finally, fishes, 30 species. We have only 470 fish species in Malaysian rivers, lakes and swamps. And 30% of them are threatened.

Many peat swamp species are found nowhere else. At this site, the Seluang Terengganu (Rasbora notura), has been found only in Terengganu.

Mitigation by the developer

The EIA report warns that wildlife in the project site must escape or die. To mitigate such impact, the developer will:

1. Keep buffers along streams and borders with forests

2. Connect forests with ecological corridors

3. Build fences to keep wildlife out of villages?

Locals expect the project to force wildlife into their farms and homes. Almost all locals surveyed in the report foresee severe human-wildlife conflict and loss of natural habitats.

They also agree that the project would bring economic benefits.

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Worth it?

In the report, the consultants express great concern for the wildlife and forest. We'd leave you with a paraphrase of their summary.

The project site with its diverse habitats is "fully utilised" by animals to feed and live there. The site is part of a larger forest complex that stores wildlife genetic pool and supports co-existence of humans and wildlife.