Map and Zonation
Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve
Map and Zonation
UNESCO has set a condition for setting a Biosphere Reserve area; it shall follow the components required under the Biosphere Zonation Model: Core Area, Buffer Zone, and Transition Area.
Click this link to see the good resolution image for PHBR maps
Core Zone
The Core area of the PHBR, which has a total size of 5,757 hectares, is a protected area designated for biodiversity conservation works, research, and educational activities.
It comprises one or more protected areas, such as a national or provincial park or other protected areas.
The Core area is a benchmark for the natural state of the ecosystems the biosphere reserve represents.
It acts as a reference (baseline) point to depict the natural ecosystem of the Biosphere Reserve, which consists of four main regions:
i) Penang National Park
ii) Permanent Forest Reserves
iii) Water Catchment Areas
iv) Penang Dams
To safeguard the sensitive areas, particularly the Core area of PHBR, a panel of related agencies plays a crucial role in coordinating and regulating its activities.
The agencies involved in managing the Core area include:
- Penang Land and Mines Office
- Penang Water Supply Corporation
- Penang Land Office (Northeast District)
- Penang Land Office (Southwest District)
- Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (DWNP)
- Penang National Park (PNP; governed by DWNP)
- Department of Fisheries (DoF)
- Penang State Forestry Department
Water Regulatory Section
Buffer Zone
Adjacent to the Core Area, the Buffer Zone in the proposed biosphere reserve spans an area of 2,176 hectares.
The designated Buffer Zone encompasses 50 meters within the protected areas fringing the terrestrial core boundary and extends to 0.5 nautical miles outside the marine core boundary.
The legal status of the Buffer Zone is the same as that of the Core Area, with the addition of the Fisheries Act 1985 due to the significantly large coastal/marine area covered under the Buffer Zone.
The primary function of the Buffer Zone is to mitigate any threats or disturbances from the Transition Area.
Transition Area
The Transition Area, which contains rich biodiversity, wildlife, trekking, scenic, and other attractions, is home to several flourishing socio-economic activities.
These areas comprise settlements, forests, agricultural lands, and popular tourist attractions such as Penang Hill (including The Habitat), Penang Botanic Gardens, Teluk Bahang Eco Park, Forestry Museum, Escape Penang, Entopia, and Tropical Spice Garden.
Coordinating and Governance of PHBR
The Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve is protected and regulated through various acts, policies, and regulations at Malaysia’s local, state, and national levels.
Some of the key acts and regulations that contribute to the protection and regulation of the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve include:
National Forestry Act 1984 provides the legal framework for managing and conserving forests in Malaysia. It empowers the State Forestry Departments to manage forest reserves, enforce regulations, and protect biodiversity within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve.
National Parks Act 1980 establishes the legal provisions for establishing, managing, and conserving national parks in Malaysia. It applies to designated areas within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve classified as national parks.
Town and Country Planning Act 1976 regulates land use planning and development in Malaysia. It ensures that development within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve is conducted sustainably, considering environmental considerations and preserving natural and cultural heritage.
Environmental Quality Act 1974 sets forth provisions for protecting and managing the environment in Malaysia. It includes regulations for controlling pollution, waste management, and environmental impact assessment for development projects within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve.
Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 governs the protection, conservation, and management of wildlife in Malaysia. It prohibits the hunting, capturing, or trading of protected species found within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, contributing to preserving biodiversity.
Local By-laws and Regulations
The following local by-laws and regulations govern activities and behavior within the biosphere reserve:
- Penang Hill Local Plan 2007
- National Heritage Act 2005
- Penang Hill Corporation Enactment 2009
- Penang Hill Special Area Plan (SAP) 2016
- Penang State Park (Botanic) Corporation Enactment 2017
Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve
Map and Zonation
UNESCO has set a condition for setting a Biosphere Reserve area; it shall follow the components required under the Biosphere Zonation Model: Core area, Buffer zones, and Transition area.
Click this link to see the good resolution image for PHBR maps
Core area
The Core area of the PHBR, which has a total size of 5,757 hectares, is a protected area designated for biodiversity conservation works, research, and educational activities.
It comprises one or more protected areas, such as a national or provincial park or other protected areas.
The Core area is a benchmark for the natural state of the ecosystems the biosphere reserve represents.
It acts as a reference (baseline) point to depict the natural ecosystem of the Biosphere Reserve, which consists of four main regions:
i) Penang National Park
ii) Permanent Forest Reserves
iii) Water Catchment Areas
iv) Penang Dams
To safeguard the sensitive areas, particularly the Core area of PHBR, a panel of related agencies plays a crucial role in coordinating and regulating its activities.
The agencies involved in managing the Core area include:
- Penang Land and Mines Office
- Penang Water Supply Corporation
- Penang District and Land Office (Northeast District)
- Penang District and Land Office (Southwest District)
- Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia (DWNP)
- Penang National Park (PNP; governed by DWNP)
- Department of Fisheries (DoF)
- Penang State Forestry Department
Water Regulatory Section
Buffer zones
Adjacent to the Core area, the Buffer zone in the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve spans an area of 2,176 hectares.
The designated Buffer zone encompasses 50 meters within the protected areas fringing the terrestrial core boundary and extends to 0.5 nautical miles outside the marine core boundary.
The legal status of the Buffer zone is the same as that of the Core area, with the addition of the Fisheries Act 1985 due to the significantly large coastal/marine area covered under the Buffer zone.
The primary function of the Buffer zone is to mitigate any threats or disturbances from the Transition area.
Transition area
The Transition area, which contains rich biodiversity, wildlife, trekking, scenic, and other attractions, is home to several flourishing socio-economic activities.
These areas comprise settlements, forests, agricultural lands, and popular tourist attractions such as Penang Hill (including The Habitat Penang Hill), Penang Botanic Gardens, Teluk Bahang Forest Eco Park, Forestry Museum, Escape Penang, Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm, and Tropical Spice Garden.
Governance of Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve
The Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve is protected and regulated through various acts, policies, and regulations at Malaysia’s local, state, and national levels.
Some of the key acts and regulations that contribute to the protection and regulation of the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve include:
National Forestry Act 1984 provides the legal framework for managing and conserving forests in Malaysia. It empowers the State Forestry Departments to manage forest reserves, enforce regulations, and protect biodiversity within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve.
National Parks Act 1980 establishes the legal provisions for establishing, managing, and conserving national parks in Malaysia. It applies to designated areas within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve classified as national parks.
Town and Country Planning Act 1976 regulates land use planning and development in Malaysia. It ensures that development within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve is conducted sustainably, considering environmental considerations and preserving natural and cultural heritage.
Environmental Quality Act 1974 sets forth provisions for protecting and managing the environment in Malaysia. It includes regulations for controlling pollution, waste management, and environmental impact assessment for development projects within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve.
Wildlife Conservation Act 2010 governs the protection, conservation, and management of wildlife in Malaysia. It prohibits the hunting, capturing, or trading of protected species found within the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, contributing to preserving biodiversity.
Local By-laws and Regulations
The following local by-laws and regulations govern activities and behavior within the biosphere reserve:
- Penang Hill Local Plan 1999
- National Heritage Act 2005
- Penang Hill Corporation Enactment 2009
- Penang Hill Special Area Plan (SAP) 2020
- Penang Botanic Garden Special Area Plan 2019
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