KUALA LUMPUR: More rewilding programmes in the city's green areas are needed to make Kuala Lumpur a sustainable and liveable city, Lembah Pantai member of Parliament Fahmi Fadzil said.
Fahmi, who is also the Communications Minister, said the programme, which aims to plant local species that attract native fauna, will help restore a healthy ecosystem.
"We hope that we can make Kuala Lumpur a sustainable and liveable city
"(As such), we must ensure that the ecosystem is sustainable and long-lasting.
"I hope we can work on this (rewilding programme) in more locations around city," he said when met by reporters at the Free Tree Society launch of the Bangsar Ecological Connector: A Community Driven Rewilding Initiative.
Fahmi said he would meet Kuala Lumpur's new mayor to discuss his proposal.
"As we know, there are many Kuala Lumpur residents who are very concerned about the green spaces in the city today, and we do not want to only see concrete jungles.
"We also want to ensure there are healthy spaces for us to raise our families and also for recreation," he said.
As such, he welcomed more sustainable programmes involving the Kuala Lumpur City Hall's Landscape Department, as well as organisations such as the Free Tree Society to plant more trees.
He also hoped that Lembah Pantai could become a leader and pioneer in such programmes and expand it to other areas.
Meanwhile, Free Tree Society President Carolyn Lau encouraged everyone to get involved and contribute to a greener, healthier urban environment.
"No place is too small - we even have native plants suitable for balconies," she said.
The Bangsar Ecological Connector is a pioneer rewilding project designed to connect the urban forest of Pulai Trail to the green spaces of Rimba Ilmu at Universiti Malaya.
It is a community-driven planting initiative aimed at enhancing the connectivity of fragmented green spaces within the local neighbourhood.
Funded by The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP), implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and developed in collaboration with the Malaysian Nature Society's Rantaian Urban Green Space (RUGS) master plan.
The Bangsar Ecological Connector will engage urban residents in planting native plants and trees that support local wildlife, particularly birds and butterflies.
The project encompasses approximately 60 hectares across various residential and educational zones and over the next 20 months aims to add 6,000 free native plants and trees to create ecological gardenscapes and wildlife-friendly streetscapes.