Malaysia's forest park listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

KUALA LUMPUR -- The Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Forest Park Selangor, located 16 km northwest of Kuala Lumpur, has been officially listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry has said.

The listing was made during the UNESCO's 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held from July 6 to 16 at the Paris headquarters, the ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, the listing was decided by the World Heritage Committee, following a nomination process that began in 2013.

"The forest park is a unique site and represents one of the earliest large-scale tropical forest ecosystem restoration efforts through the replanting of trees in a former tin mining area," it said.

"This initiative has set an international benchmark by successfully creating an ecosystem that closely resembles a natural tropical rainforest, rich in tree species diversity and overall biodiversity," the statement added.

According to the UNESCO, the site represents a pioneering reforestation effort, successfully transforming barren land into a mature lowland tropical forest, showcasing early ecological restoration and sustainable land rehabilitation practices.

With the latest listing, Malaysia now has six UNESCO World Heritage Sites.