UNIVERSITI PUTRA MALAYSIA

MOHD ZAKARIA HJ HAMZAH

FH 2012 15

EVALUATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOR CONSERVATION AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES IN GREENWAY DEVELOPMENT OF SETIU

WETLAND, MALAYSIA

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

EVALUATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOR CONSERVATION AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES IN GREENWAY DEVELOPMENT OF SETIU

WETLAND, MALAYSIA

By

MOHD ZAKARIA HJ HAMZAH

Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, in fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science

September 2012

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

ii

Abstract of thesis presented to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia in fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master Science

EVALUATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOR CONSERVATION AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES IN GREENWAY DEVELOPMENT OF SETIU

WETLAND, MALAYSIA

By

MOHD ZAKARIA HJ. HAMZAH

September 2012

Chairman : Ebil Yusof, PhD Faculty : Forestry

Setiu Wetland is a unique nine inter-connected ecosystem that offers great

opportunities for both recreation and wildlife conservation in Terengganu.

However, conservation on the area is limited due to habitat fragmentation.

Sustainable management is a possible solution to the problem. Such

development may also support the State Government of Terengganu in terms of

increasing revenue (or benefits) through ecotourism. The purpose of this study

was to identify the greenway zone in Setiu Wetland, Terengganu for wildlife

conservation and recreation opportunities using the greenway conceptual

diagram model with the adaption of conceptual relation framework of wildlife

conservation and recreation opportunities. The objective will be achieved

through determination of vegetation and habitat mapping of Setiu Wetland,

estimation of wildlife diversity, examination and comparison of wildlife

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

iii

composition between sites, examining the recreational resources in the area,

and to propose the location to be zoned as greenway system on Setiu Wetland.

Evaluations were made on 12 potential sites in Setiu Wetland consisting

Avicennia-ceriops, beach forest/Casuarina, coconut, mixed-mangrove and peat

swamp habitats. Point-count methods, Sherman traps, casual observations and

RRI were conducted on the sites. Data analysis involved the application of

MVSP, Neighbour clustering technique and chi-square test. Based on the

number of wildlife, their diversities, habitats density and the recreation resources

found in the areas, the sites S1, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, S9, and S10 were chosen

to be the hubs of greenway, while S2, S3, S11 and S12 the links which connect

these hubs from one to another to complete the greenway system. The results

also indicated that there is a relationship between wildlife conservation and

recreation opportunities in Setiu Wetland. Landscape linearity, connectivity and

biodiversity not only provide conservation of wildlife in the area but also

opportunities for recreation, ecotourism and nature study. Hence the

implementation of greenway zone in Setiu Wetland is seen as highly feasible.

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

iv

Abstrak tesis yang dikemukan kepada Senat Universiti Putra Malaysia sebagai memenuhi keperluan untuk ijazah Sarjana Sains

PENILAIAN SUMBER SEMULAJADI UNTUK KONSERVASI DAN PELUANG REKREASI DALAM PEMBANGUNAN ‘LALUAN-HIJAU’ DI TANAH BENCAH

SETIU, MALAYSIA

Oleh

MOHD ZAKARIA HJ. HAMZAH

September 2012

Pengerusi : Ebil Yusof, PhD Fakulti : Perhutanan

Tanah Bencah Setiu adalah sebuah ekosistem ‘sembilan-bersambungan’ yang

unik, menawarkan peluang rekreasi dan konservasi hidupan liar yang berpotensi

di Terengganu. Bagaimanapun, konservasi di kawasan ini terhad disebabkan

pemecahan habitat. Pengurusan mapan berkemungkinan merupakan satu

penyelesaian terhadap masalah ini. Ia juga boleh membantu Kerajaan Negeri

Terengganu dalam usaha meningkatkan hasil negeri melalui ekopelancongan.

Kajian ini bertujuan mengenal pasti zon ‘laluan-hijau’ di Setiu untuk tujuan

konservasi hidupan liar dan peluang rekreasi dengan menggunakan konsep

model diagram ‘laluan-hijau’ serta mengadaptasi konsep hubungan antara

konservasi hidupan liar dan peluang rekreasi. Objektif ini akan dicapai melalui

penentuan vegetasi dan pemetaan habitat, penilaian kepelbagaian dan

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

v

perbandingan komposisi hidupan liar antara kawasan, mengkaji sumber-sumber

rekreasi dan mencadangkan lokasi yang akan dizonkan sebagai ‘laluan–hijau’ di

situ. Penilaian telah dibuat di 12 lokasi berpotensi yang terdiri daripada habitat

Avicennia-ceriops, hutan pantai, kelapa, bakau-campuran dan paya gambut

dengan menggunakan kaedah bilang-titik, Perangkap Sherman, pemerhatian

kasual, Survei tinjauan dan Inventori Sumber Rekreasi (RRI). Analisis statistik

seperti Pakej Statistik Multivariat, Teknik Kluster Berjiran, dan Ujian Chi-square

telah digunakan. Berdasarkan bilangan dan kepelbagaian hidupan liar,

kepadatan habitat dan sumber rekreasi yang ada, kawasan S1, S4, S5, S6, S7,

S8, S9, dan S10 dipilih sebagai hub-hub ‘laluan-hijau’, manakala S2, S3, S11

dan S12 pula dijadikan sebagai penghubung yang menghubung kesemua hub

tersebut. Kajian juga membuktikan bahawa wujudnya hubungan diantara

konservasi hidupan liar dan peluang rekreasi di Tanah-bencah Setiu. Kelinearan

dan kesalinghubungan lanskap serta kepelbagaian hidupan liar bukan sahaja

menyediakan konservasi di kawasan tersebut bahkan menyediakan peluang

rekreasi, ekopelancongan dan pembelajaran tentang alam semulajadi. Lantaran

itu, pelaksanaan zon ‘laluan-hijau’ di Tanah-bencah Setiu dilihat sangat sesuai.

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

vi

Specially dedicated to

My dearest Wife, Nur Halawati My beloved Mother, Indun and my loving late Father, Hamzah

My late Grandpa and Grandma, Tokki Cer and Tok Nab My Brothers and Sisters; Bro Zaki, Bro Zuki, Bro Sukri, Bro Yusri, Bro Awie, Sis Na and Sis Zah and their families,

And to all my fellow Friends

Thank you for your love Prayers, patience and encouragement

Without your support I will not be where I am today (insyaAllah)

I love you all

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Thank God, all praise be to Allah who has given me much courage, confidence

and high perseverance to successfully complete this thesis.

I would like to express my deepest gratitude and appreciation especially to my

supervisor, Dr. Ebil Yusof, my committee members Dr. Azlizam Aziz and Dr.

Roslan Mohamad Kasim for their invaluable help, dedicated efforts, guidance

and patience throughout this study.

I am particularly grateful to Mr. Azlan – boatman a.k.a tourist guide and my

friends from Bird, Nature & Us (BNU) for their kind assistance, knowledge and

advice. Many thank are also for my fellow friends, for their moral support and

most of all, their invaluable friendship.

Finally, I would like to express my deepest love and gratitude to my family

members for their unending prayers, support and encouragement during the

course of this study.

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

viii

APPROVAL SHEET

I certify that an Examination Committee has met on date of viva to conduct the final examination of name of student on his degree thesis entitled "Greenway Zones For Wildlife Conservation and Recreation Opportunities at Setiu Wetland, Terengganu" in accordance with Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (Higher Degree) Act 1980 and Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (Higher Degree) Regulations 1981. The Committee recommends that the candidate be awarded the relevant degree. Members of the Examination Committee are as follows:

AHMAD SAID SAJAP, PhD Professor Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia (Chairman) MOHAMED ZAKARIA HUSSIN, PhD Assoc. Professor Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia ABDULLAH MOHD, PhD Assoc. Professor Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia ZUBAID AKBAR MUKHTAR AHMAD, PhD Professor Faculty of Science and Technology Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (External Examiner)

_____________________

SEOW HENG FONG, PhD Professor/Deputy Dean

School of Graduate Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia

Date:

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

ix

This thesis submitted to the Senate of Universiti Putra Malaysia and has been accepted as fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master Science. The members of the Supervisory Committee are as follows:

Ebil Yusof, PhD Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia (Chairman) Azlizam Aziz, PhD Assoc. Professor Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member) Roslan Mohamad Kasim, PhD Faculty of Forestry Universiti Putra Malaysia (Member)

_________________________ BUJANG BIN KIM HUAT, PhD

Professor and Dean School of Graduate Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia

Date:

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

x

DECLARATION

I declare that the thesis is my original work except for quotations and citations which have been previously, and is not concurrently, submitted for any other degree at Universiti Putra Malaysia or at any other institutions.

_________________________ MOHD ZAKARIA HJ. HAMZAH

Date: 11 March 2013

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

xi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ii ABSTRAK iv DEDICATION vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii APPROVAL SHEET viii DECLARATION x TABLE OF CONTENTS xi LIST OF TABLES xiv LIST OF FIGURES xv LIST OF PLATES xvi LIST OF ABBREVIATION xvii LIST OF APPENDICES xix

CHAPTER

1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Research Background 2 1.2 Problem Statement 6 1.3 Research Objectives 11 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 12 2.1 A Successful Greenway 12 2.2 Greenway as Habitat Corridor for Wildlife 14 2.3 Greenway as Riparian Buffer to Provide Food, Shelter,

Migration and Movement of Wildlife 16

2.3.1 Canopy and Shade 17 2.3.2 Leaf Food 18 2.3.3 Habitat 18 2.4 Recreational Opportunities Provided by Greenway 19 2.5 The Potential of Setiu Wetland as a Greenway for Natural

Conservation 23

2.5.1 The Fauna in Setiu Wetland 23 2.5.2 The Flora in Setiu Wetland 26 2.6 Aerial Photograph 29 2.7 Recreation Resources and Opportunities 32

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

xii

2.7.1 Outdoor Recreation Planning 34

3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 36 3.1 Research Area 36 3.2 Survey Sites 40 3.3 Research Framework 42 3.3.1 Point-count Methods 44 3.3.2 Sherman Traps 45 3.3.3 Casual Observation 46 3.3.4 Recreation Resources Inventory

47

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 50 4.1 Habitat Mapping and Vegetation Analysis 50 4.1.1 Avicennia-ceriops (S1) 53 4.1.2 Beach Forest (S2 & S7) 54 4.1.3 Coconut (S3) 56 4.1.4 Coconut/shrub (S4) 56 4.1.5 Mixed-mangrove (S5 & S9) 57 4.1.6 Nypa (S6) 58 4.1.7 Lagoon (S8) 59 4.1.8 Melaleuca (Gelam) (S10) 60 4.1.9 Wet Melaleuca (Gelam) (S11) 61 4.1.10 Rhizophora Forest (S12) 61 4.1.11 Bruguiera forest 62 4.1.12 Bruguiera-lumnitzera forest 63 4.2 Wildlife Composition and Diversity 64 4.2.1 Birds 64 4.2.2 Small Mammals 78 4.2.3 Large Mammals 84 4.2.3 Herpetofauna 85 4.3 Recreation Resources 89 4.3.1 Artificial & Supporting Infrastructures 90 4.3.2 Attraction of Topography and Biodiversity 95 4.3.3 Water Resources & Environmental Degradation 101 4.3.4 User’s Perception 103 4.4 Greenway of Setiu Wetland 108 4.4.1 The Proposal of Greenway on Setiu Wetland

120

5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 128 5.1 Conclusion 128 5.2 Research Implications 130 5.2.1 Practical Implication 130

© COPYRIG

HT UPM

xiii

5.2.2 Knowledge Contribution 132 5.3 Limitation and Constraints 133 5.4 Recommendation for Future Research 134

REFERENCES 135 APPENDICES 157 BIODATA OF STUDENT 182