AMANJAYA FOREST RESERVE

Amanjaya Forest Reserve (18,886 hectares) was previously a state forest that was gazetted as a Permanent Forest Reserve in 2013 as part of the state government’s commitment to the Central Forest Spine Plan for Ecological Linkages (Department of Town & Country Planning 2005). Previously known as Primary Linkage 2 (CF1- PL2), it has recently been renamed as A-PL1 under the ‘Plan Induk Rangkaian Ekologi Central Forest Spine’ (PIRECFS). Amanjaya is an important ecological link between Royal Belum State Park and Temengor Forest Reserve, the bigger landscape of Banjaran Titiwangsa and Greater Taman Negara. This connection is essential to provide substantial roaming areas for large mammals especially the Malayan tiger to meet their biological needs. The long-term viability of the Malayan tiger is dependent on the availability of large forested areas.

Amanjaya has seen many signs of poaching activities from 2010 onwards. The area suffered a poaching crisis with an influx of foreigners encroaching the jungle to hunt for tigers and high valued timber products. The East -West highway provides easy access into the forest of Amanjaya. Patrolling efforts have detected snares, poacher campsites and foreign markings on trees throughout the landscape.

RIMAU works closely together with Perak Forestry in the landscape.

ORANG ASLI

The Orang Asli Community living surrounding Amanjaya Forest Reserve landscape are predominantly made up of Jahai communities but also with a significant presence of Temiar orang asli. RPS (Rancangan Pengumpulan Semula or Regroupment Scheme) Air Banun serves as the main settlement.

Their main livelihood comes from harvesting of non-timber forest products such as agarwood, herbs, honey, frogs, and fish. They also occasionally work as porters for houseboats and tour-operators in the area and with various NGO's working in the landscape.

There are 11 villages surrounding Amanjaya Forest Reserve.

Currently RIMAU has 15 patrolling members in Amanjaya and the team is known as ‘AP Amanjaya’ – AP having two meanings – a shortform for Amanjaya Patrollers and AP is also the word for tiger in the Jahai and Temiar language. Our efforts include providing proper equipment for the teams and continuous training. This includes basic reading and writing, satellite and GPS competency, camping and hiking safety.

The presence of a community fund for the local Orang Asli community is also something special for AP Amanjaya. For every day a patroller works, RM 10 is collected into the community fund. This helps benefit the whole community and only individual team members.

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