The history of urban tree planting in Kuala Lumpur

Abstract

Historically, the experienced of urban tree planting in Kuala Lumpur is still young in comparison with other well established cities like Nanjing and Guangzhou cities in China. Natural vegetation of Kuala Lumpur in thousand of years ago was mainly primary dipterocarp forests, riparian vegetation and some hilly limestone forest. However, most of the natural landscape of vegetation changed when people started to build up fabricated formation of Federal Territory (1875-1954) and after the formation of Federal Territory construction to cater the expansion of urban population. Urban tree planting before the (1972- now) differed as in the late 19th century and as Malaysia was one of the British colony, the way of planting tree and selection of tree species were influenced by the British. After gaining independence from the British and Kuala Lumpur was designated a municipality, local authority of Kuala Lumpur has made an effort to implement a well- planned urban tree planting through the establishment of the Beautification Unit under the Beautification Programmes of Kuala Lumpur. The objectives were to improve the environment and image of the city for investment, tourism, to improve air quality and for climatic control. Under Landscape and Urban Cleansing Control Department of Kuala Lumpur (1979), it was hope that Kuala Lumpur image mirror the aspiration of Kuala Lumpur urban dwellers to have a beautiful and serene city as other cities in developed countries.