THE Bukit Bauk Forest Reserve in Dungun town, which is rich in camphor wood, is set to become the biggest green lung within a town or city in the country.

The Terengganu government wants to gazette the 7,287ha area as an “educational forest” for ecological and botanical studies.

In an immediate response, the state Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) hailed the move, saying it augurs well for the conservation of the forest.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the educational forest would be launched next month.

“It is vital to conserve the area which is rich in kapur or camphor trees (Dryobalanops aromatica),” he told newsmen after chairing the state exco meeting at Wisma Darul Iman in Kuala Terengganu recently.

He said although the area was designated as a forest reserve, the former PAS administration had awarded several licences to log the forest.

“The felling of trees had started but we have cancelled the licences. The loggers will be given other areas as replacement,” he said.

Idris said the area was attractive since it was rich with many species of trees.

In comparison, it is learnt that the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, which serves as a green lung for Kuala Lumpur, covers only 10.05 ha.

State MNS chairman Sulong Ibrahim said that Bukit Bauk was one of the few forests in the country to have camphor trees.

“It is quite unique and I’m glad that logging will not be allowed there,” he said.

Sulong, who specialises in mangroves management at Kolej Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Malaysia (Kustem), said that Universiti Putra Malaysia students had conducted studies in the jungle.

A check by The Star showed that a gateway to the Bukit Bauk Forest Reserve was near the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) branch campus.

The gateway is a picturesque lake near Pantai Gadong beach.

The public and UiTM students had been entering the forest reserve through a rickety 100m footbridge.

Mohd Zamili Awang, 20, who stays in nearby Kampung Tanah Lot, said the bridge was dismantled about a week ago to avoid any untoward incidents.

The authorities had dug a canal to drain the lake water into the sea in a move, apparently, to facilitate the construction of a new bridge.

Schoolboys of SRK Sura and SMK Sura were spotted treading in the muddy water to catch tiger prawns, siput gondong, ikan kakak and ikan toman in the lake.

Next to the lake is a wooden staircase leading to a hill located in the Tanjung Gadong Forest Reserve, which is next to Bukit Bauk.

From the peak of the hill, one can see the burning flames of refineries in Kertih, about 20km away.

Those passing through Dungun town can also view the hill, which rolls behind Politeknik Dungun.

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