The Kota Damansara Community Forest Park (850 acres) is located alongside the North South Highway opposite the Jalan Duta exit. The forest park was originally known as the Sg. Buloh Forest Reserve which was gazetted in 1898, making the oldest forest reserves in Malaysia. Back then, the forest was a staggering 4,000 acres but in 1990, the area was demarcated to make way for housing development projects.

Although it is a regenerating forest, it’s still home to a rich variety of flora, mainly the majestic Meranti-Keruing tree species which is typically found in lowland areas of peninsula Malaysia. The presence of amphibians and reptiles have also been recorded during a recent survey.

Realising the irreplaceable value of the forest, the local Residents Associations have come together to form Friends of Kota Damansara (Section 7, Section 9, Section 10, Section 11, Kota Damansara and Taman Tun Dr.Ismail) in hopes of creating a community forest park that they may leave behind for generations to come. The residents and MNS have been lobbying the Selangor state government for the status of the forest. This efforts has received a letter from the Town and Country Planning Department stating that the area will not be further developed.

As such, the Management Plan for the Kota Damansara Community Forest Park was developed and a guidebook ‘A Step Beyond the City’ was launched in March 2006, which showcases the flora and fauna found within the forest. Trails have been set up within the forest, with interesting plants tagged for public education.

The Friends of Kota Damansara, together with MNS and MNS Selangor Branch, hold regular environmental education activities in the forest to promote awareness. Activities are highlighted in the Selangor Branch newsletters on a monthly basis.

For queries regarding the Kota Damansara Community Forest Park, please write to hod.conservation@mns.org.my or call 03-2287 9422