PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT SCOTT'S HILL, TAIPING

4 Jun 2008

REPORT OF MEETING WITH TAIPING TOWN COUNCIL ON PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AT SCOTT\'S HILL, TAIPING



The meeting was held at the Meeting Room, Majlis Perbandaran Taiping (MPT) on 4^th March 2008. MPT was represented by En Anas bin Dollah, Town and Country Planning Officer and Public Relations Officer and a council member from the public sector. Mr Lim Kim Chye and myself represented the Malaysian Nature Society (Perak Branch).

The meeting was a follow up to the 2006 public viewing of the Taiping Local Plan which was attended by Lim Kim Chye. In the plan, there was a proposal to develop Scott\'s Hill as a recreation park, with the construction of an observation tower at the top. During the meeting, we briefed them regarding the importance of preserving the forest area in the vicinity of Scott\'s Hill, as the place has been a monitoring site for raptor migration by the MNS Perak Branch Bird Group during the past years. We informed MPT that we have organized yearly events for observation of raptor migration at Scott\'s Hill and that this event can promote Taiping as an eco-tourism destination for observation of bird migration as well as publicise other birdwatching sites in Matang and Larut Hill.

MPT was informed that we would like to be involved in the planning and implementation of the programme for public awareness and the setting up of an exhibition or education centre for raptor observation at Scott\'s Hill. The establishment of the observation site will promote raptor research especially among institutions of higher learning and promote international collaboration.

Encik Anas mentioned that the adjacent areas are used for army training and the trails can be improved for public use. However, he could not give any details of the MPT plan but will inform MNS Perak regarding the future development and our involvement. The meeting was held a few days before the general election and Puan Norsiah, Head of Town and Country Planning, was unavailable for the meeting. Our book on "Birds of Perak" and a copy of the Proceedings of the 4^th Symposium on Asian Raptors held in Taiping in October 2005 were presented to MPT.

We requested MPT for another meeting with Puan Norsiah regarding the establishment of the proposed development at Scott\'s Hill.

We also mentioned the Raptor Watch Week that MNS has been organizing at Tg. Tuan for many years and suggested that MPT send a representative to attend in order to be able to appreciate the potential for such an event at Scott\'s Hill.



Reported by Dr Abdul Karim Russ & Lim Kim Chye