Local residents` awareness towards the issue of mangrove degradation in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

Malaysia is a hot and humid country. The climate makes it suitable for mangroves to live and breed. Mangrove forests are concentrated in West Coast of Malaysia, and its largest distribution is found in Perak. Its long list of usage has made mangroves popular since a long time ago. However over the past decades, Mangrove species have been reported to be disappearing from the map. This is due to several activities that have been introduced in order to meet the demands of increased population. These include illegal logging, agriculture activities and urbanization. Awareness of the local residents on the problem of mangrove depletion is important to curb the problem. Therefore, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 103 respondents to examine their awareness on the matter. The respondents were chosen randomly among residents of Kuala Selangor district. It is found that only twenty percent of the total number of respondents are aware of the issue and acted upon it; either participating in the efforts made by the government as well as those by the non-governmental bodies or practicing mangroves replanting at their backyard. In future, it is suggested that more studies on the distribution of Mangrove forests in Malaysia to be carried out so as to upgrade the existing database. This study is concluded with a recommendation on measures to promote and educate Kuala Selangor residents on the issue.