Together with our friends at TwentyTwo13, we will be crafting a series of articles across 2021 that shares the history and future of Bukit Kiara.

Written by FoBK president, Dr Kribanandan Gurusamy Naidu, the six articles will highlight various aspects of Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara including some history, the gazettement agenda, long term conservation and our planned FoBK activities.

Read them below here:

1. Years of Toil by Civil Society Resulted in Gazettement of Bukit Kiara Federal Park

The first article on TwentyTwo13 published in Jan 2021 shares the history of Bukit Kiara, from its roots as a rubber plantation from the Ng Chin Siu & Sons Rubber Estate Ltd, to its planned future as a public park and an arboretum in the style of Hyde Park in London.

The comprehensive article shares the abandoned plans for the stretch of land that currently covers the Damansara sewage treatment plant and the Muslim cemetery.

In 1993, the establishment of the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club on land meant for Pusara Negara signalled the full abandonment of the Taman Kiara Master Plan.

It also shares the long history of community engagement between Taman Tun Dr Ismail Residents Association, passionate activists, like-minded NGOs, member of parliament, and the public who have devoted much to the cause.

Read the full article here.

2. Friends of Bukit Kiara Moving Forward With A Wider Purpose

The second article which was published in Feb 2021 chronicles the history and mission of Friends of Bukit Kiara.

While the initial focus may have been on gazettement, since 2018, there has been a wider focus to include engagement on wider green lung advocacy issues together with other green lung community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations and the general public in the Klang Valley.

“In the first attempt of its kind in the Klang Valley, a successful roundtable discussed was hosted by FoBK in October 2018 which saw the coming together of 17 green lunch advocacy groups and representatives from the office of the Segambut MP to find a meaningful way forward.”

Read the full article here.

3. Explore The Uniqueness of Bukit Kiara

Published in March 2021, the third feature spotlights the uniqueness of flora and fauna of this beloved urban forest. With a variety of river sources, birds, insects and wildlife, it has become apparent that Bukit Kiara can potentially function as a living library of plants and animals that can be used for forest restoration and increasing biodiversity in the city.

Bukit Kiara is an example of how a deforested former rubber plantation can be restored into a forest or recreational land for public use.

Read the full article here.

4. Time To Restore Our Earth

Just in time for Earth Day 2021 on April 22, the fourth feature shares the exciting activities that FoBK has planned in collaboration with Think City Institutes’s Earth Week 2021.

Our climate leaders, grassroots activists, community leaders, artists, influencers, and the leaders of tomorrow will all come together to push us towards a better world and remind us of the theme of Earth Day 2021 i.e ‘Restore Our Earth’.

Read the full article here.

5. Bukit Kiara’s Public-Private Partnership Path to Sustainable Development

Published in May 2021, this article takes a holistic look at Bukit Kiara, reflecting on the tension of the public-private partnership that exists on this land. Despite news of Bukit Kiara being gazetted as a Federal Park on July 29 2020, the announcement only encompasses 110.8 hectares and there remains 51.4 hectacres that will hopefully be similarly gazetted by 2027.

What became of those major chunks outside of today’s 162.2-hectare Federal Park?

Read the full article here.

6. Citizen Science Approach To Green Lung Preservation, Biodiversity of Conservation of Bukit Kiara Gets UN Nod

In our last article of the series published in Aug 2021, we shared the importance of getting community involved in protecting green spaces and the biodiversity that comes with it. It shares how FoBK was awarded the United Nations Development Programme Global Environment Facility Small Grants for a Citizen Science project named ‘Magical Mysteries at Bukit Kiara’.

City green lungs can also serve as stopover sites where migrating birds can rest and refuel. Bukit Kiara is no exception.

Read the full article here.

Become a Friend of Bukit Kiara

What is really needed is more people joining and helping to make a difference.

For just RM60, you can help protect our beloved green lung. We are stronger together, and hope to have you onboard. Sign up at http://bit.ly/JoinUsFoBK

This post will be updated with future links when the rest of the articles are published.