A historical chronology and impact of urban forestry : a case study of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Beginning with its founding at the confluence of two rivers, the city of Kuala Lumpur has seen the introduction of several exotic and local forest species planted within the built up areas. Initially some of the existing forest species were left intact as development was very minimal during the early years. When Kuala Lumpur was placed under the British administration several exotic forest species were introduced for their shade and beauty amidst the humidity of the tropical climate. These trees were often planted side by side with the local species especially within the town centre, residential areas, government buildings, club house, parks and greenbelts. Combined with the introduction of flowering shrubs Kuala Lumpur was slowly developed into a conceptual garden city. The wet and humid tropical climate quickened the growth of these urban trees. As Kuala Lumpur developed into a modern city the policy of tree plantings of the colonial era was slowly revised. Unlike architectural buildings of old, these trees could not and did not last long due to neglect and changes in the land use. As more buildings were built some of these trees were cut down, pruned or replaced with tree species that are occupy less growing spaces. This is more apparent after Kuala Lumpur was declared a territory of the Federal Government in 1974. Foutunately Kuala Lumpur City Hall or Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) undertook a majestic task of transforming the city into a tropical garden city by preserving some of the trees and at the same time introducing new species of trees to suit the needs of the urban environment. Rows and row of trees were planted alongside low and medium sized shrubs for functional and aesthetic purposes. Millions of dollars were allocated for this purpose. Such immense effort has transformed Kuala Lumpur into a city of a balanced and healthy environment for its population. A lot of the city population has benefited from the presence of these trees in so many ways. The economic, social, political, and environmental benefits are discussed. However, such transformation is not without problems but nevertheless Kuala Lumpur has managed to provide a pleasant image to visitors and citizens alike. These problems and solutions are in so many ways similar to other cities throughout the world. The lessons learnt in Kuala Lumpur may be applied to other cities throughout the world.