1648.12 ha Forest Plantation in Jengka Forest Reserve, Chenor, Pahang (*UPDATED 2/4/19*)

*UPDATE: New imagery added for the still-pristine Jengka Forest Reserve (as of Feb 2019) - see end of article

First off, a big thank you for submitting information regarding the above. We have received 5 pictures of:

1) a letter from KDYMM Pahang's private secretary to the General Manager of FELDA Jengka to request for permission to use the plantation's access roads into Blok D and Blok E for log extraction (the date of the letter was covered by the name card of a Justin Wong from Mega Woods Trading)

2) map showing the two affected areas (Blok D & Blok E)

3) map showing Blok D (east)

4) map showing Blok E (west)

5) a letter dated 10 April 2018 with the title "KELULUSAN PERMOHONAN UNTUK MENGELUARKAN SAKI BAKI KAYU BALAK DAN KAYU JARAS SERTA PAJAKAN TANAH UNTUK PROJEK PENUBUHAN LADANG HUTAN, HUTAN SIMPAN JENGKA, MUKIM CHENOR, DAERAH TEMERLOH SELUAS ± 1,648.12 HEKTAR (± 4,072.50 EKAR)"

Eng: Approval to remove leftover logs and poles, and land lease for the establishment of a forest plantation in Jengka forest reserve, Chenor, Temerloh District of a ± 1,648.12 ha area (± 4,072.50 acres)

Document 5) also clearly details the 5 'Blok' (Blok A-E) that make up the 1,648.12-ha area quoted above; a logging royalty of RM1,000.00/acre (± 4,072.50 acres) was also mentioned. A little bit of digging also revealed that a Facebook Page: Save Hutan Simpan Jengka already exists.

We decided to take a look at the history of the site based on publicly available data. Have a look at the screens below:

In case you wondered where Jengka Forest Reserve was.

Zooming in on to Jengka Forest Reserve. About 1,000 hectares of forest cover loss between 2001-2016.

Forest cover loss (2001-2016) for the western patch (Blok E) - barely any in the period.

Forest cover loss (2001-2016) for the eastern patch (Blok D) - barely any in the period.

Landsat imagery for the area in 2017-2018 was cloudy, and we could not determine the current states of Blok D & E. Current information/imagery of the site would be very welcome. Contrasting the ~1,000 ha of forest loss in Jengka Forest Reserve vs. the <10 ha loss in both Blok D and E over 2001-2016 suggests that the Blok(s) had substantial forest cover up until 2016. Will CSOs, NGOs, and the public speak up on this matter, or will it again be quietly swept under the carpet in the New Malaysia?

*UPDATE

From the time this article was published, we have secured new images that can confirm that Jengka Forest Reserve is still in good condition.

Spot the dark green line running down the middle (PlanetLabs, Feb 2019).

Jengka Forest Reserve indicated by the polygon.

Now let's look at the area of interest at the southern tip of the forest reserve.

Never had a doubt that it was still in good condition.

Since our Analysis tab in the interactive map is now online, let's have a look at tree cover lost history in the area.

Looks like the area was barely touched in the last 18 years. Good news?

In any case, we have confirmed that Pahang State is trying to log a pristine forest. If we are not mistaken, the establishment of a 'ladang hutan' allows for clear-felling.

Jengka Forest Reserve and its surrounding (PlanetLabs, Feb 2019).