Wilderness park will be open to public by end of June

Nature lovers can look forward to a new green adventure once the Kledang Saiong Wilderness Park, located at the Kledang Saiong Forest Reserve in Meru Raya, is officially opened at the end of June.

Covering an area of 2,188ha and comprising 13 forest compartments, the park is set to be an important ecotourism product of Visit Perak Year 2012. State Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Hamidah Osman said the park, which was a logging site until the 1970s, is easily accessible.

“It is located near the BioD City at Bandar Meru Raya, which is a development project comprising residential, commercial, retail and leisure precincts. “The park is also rich in various tree species and high in endemics, with crystal clear water flowing from Sungai Sah and Sungai Chepor,” said Hamidah. The park would also fulfil the recreational needs of the public by providing low-impact recreational activities to locals and tourists alike at a nominal fee.

Exotic: A couple of bird nest fern (Asplenium Nidus) found at the park.

“Visitors can enjoy a range of activities such as camping, jungle and hill trekking, off-road cycling, picnicking or even taking a cool dip in the rivers,” said Hamidah during a working visit to the park recently. She inspected preliminary works costing RM1mil under the first of three development phases. The facilities, which included an arch, office, toilet, guard post, outdoor sports and camping facilities, storage cabins and playground, were completed in April.

Standing tall: An information centre at the Kledang Saiong Wilderness Park.

The park is ready to receive visitors, but is only accessible by four-wheel drive vehicles as its 2km access road is a mud-covered dirt road. State forestry assistant director Roslina Nordin said the road would be tarred to make it easier for other vehicles to use.

The project was jointly developed by the State Forestry Department and Perak Corp Bhd. For details, call 05-528 8100 or visit www.perakforestry.gov.my

-thestar online.