RAMSAR SITES IN JOHOR
Ramsar Sites in Johor : Johor is the custodian of three out of the seven Ramsar sites in Malaysia. The high proportion of Ramsar sites in Johor is a clear indication of the State’s rich natural heritage.
Two of these Ramsar sites, Pulau Kukup Ramsar Site and Tanjung Piai Ramsar are managed by Johor National Parks Corporation (JNPC), whereas the Sungai Pulai Ramsar Site is managed by the Johor Forestry Department. Updated management plans have been prepared for all three sites.
Johor National Parks Corporation (JNPC) has been conducting Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness (CEPA) programmes at Pulau Kukup and Tanjung Piai since 2003. The main objective of these programmes is to raise public awareness on wetlands; in particular, amongst school, college and university students. Feedback from the programmes have been positive, they are in demand by schools and other groups throughout the year.
Ramsar site number: 1287
Ramsar site area: 647 ha
Ramsar site designation date: 31-01-2003
Legal designation:
1) Pulau Kukup Forest Reserve
2) Pulau Kukup (Johor) National Park
Justification for Ramsar site listing:
Criterion 1:
Contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region.
Criterion 2:
Supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.
Criterion 3:
Supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.
Site summary
Pulau Kukup Ramsar Site Johor National Park encompasses an uninhabited mangrove island; one of the few intact islands of its kind left on Earth. Apart from supporting a number of globally threatened species, Pulau Kukup is important for flood control, physical protection and shoreline stabilization, as it shelters the mainland town from storm events.
The narrow straits between Pulau Kukup Johor National Park and the mainland support a thriving industry of marine cage culture, whereas the surrounding mudflats are rich with shellfish that provide a source of food and income for locals. The tourism industry at Kukup town is flourishing, with Pulau Kukup being one of the main attractions. The site is well established for tourism and CEPA. Facilities include a visitor centre, boardwalks and platforms with interpretive signage, as well as a gallery at the park office.
Ramsar site number: 1288
Ramsar site area: 9,126 ha
Ramsar site designation date: 31-01-2003
Legal designation: Sungai Pulai Forest Reserve
Justification for Ramsar site listing:
Criterion 1:
Contains a representative, rare, or unique example of a natural or near-natural wetland type found within the appropriate biogeographic region.
Criterion 2:
Supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.
Criterion 3:
Supports populations of plant and/or animal species important for maintaining the biological diversity of a particular biogeographic region.
Criterion 7:
Supports a significant proportion of indigenous fish subspecies, species or families, life-history stages, species interactions and/or populations that are representative of wetland benefits and/or values and thereby contributes to global biological diversity.
Criterion 8:
Important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend.
Site summary
Sungai Pulai Ramsar Site encompasses the largest riverine mangrove system in Johor. With associated seagrass beds, intertidal mudflats and inland freshwater riverine forest, the site is one of the best examples of a lowland tropical river basin, and supports a rich and unique biodiversity.
It is home to a rare Peninsular Malaysian endemic mangrove, Avicennia lanata and supports a number of globally threatened animals such as the flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps) and smooth otter (Lutrogale perspicillata). Relatively undisturbed parts of the site, including the nipah (Nypa fructicans) lined banks may be nesting sites of the estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).
The site also supports an indigenous local population from the Orang Seletar tribe, who occupy the Kampung Simpang Arang fishing village situated within the mangroves. The villagers depend on the estuary, which support a significant proportion of commercial fishes, for their livelihoods. Unfortunately, the site sits within the Iskandar economic growth region, and faces high development pressure.
Recently, around 2,000-acres of mangroves at the southeastern section of the Ramsar site made way for a golf resort, which includes three 18-hole golf courses, a luxury hotel and low-density residential properties.
Ramsar site number: 1289
Ramsar site area: 526 ha
Ramsar site designation date: 31-01-2003
Legal designation:
1) Tanjung Piai Forest Reserve
2) Tanjung Piai (Johor) National Park
Justification for Ramsar site listing:
Criterion 2:
Supports vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered species or threatened ecological communities.
Criterion 8:
An important source of food for fishes, spawning ground, nursery and/or migration path on which fish stocks, either within the wetland or elsewhere, depend.
Site summary
Tanjung Piai Ramsar Site consists of coastal mangroves and intertidal mudflats that fringe the southernmost tip of mainland Asia. The mangroves play a crucial role in protecting adjacent human settlements from coastal erosion, flooding and seawater intrusion.
Tanjung Piai supports threatened and vulnerable wetland-dependent species such as the Mangrove Pitta, Mangrove Blue Flycatcher and Mangrove Whistler, as well as the globally threatened Lesser Adjutant. The four rivers that run through the site hold an abundance of commercially-valuable fish species.
The site is an important tourism and CEPA destination. Facilities here include a visitor centre, hall, boardwalks, jetties, audio-visual gallery and a unique campsite within the mangrove forest. World Wetlands Day celebrations have been held here since 2003. Due to high sea traffic, the site has been affected by oil spills and coastal erosion, resulting in the loss of some of its mangrove forest.
However, significant effort and resources has been given towards protecting the site from further erosion, and restoring the mangroves that were previously lost.