RANTAIAN URBAN GREEN SPACES (RUGS):
URBAN GREEN CONNECTORS IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
Urban green spaces play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity, enhancing ecosystem services, and improving the quality of life in rapidly developing regions. Klang Valley – Malaysia’s primary economic and administrative hub, has experienced extensive land-use changes, resulting in fragmented and isolated green spaces. The Rantaian Urban Green Spaces (RUGS) is a project that aims to establish a network of inter-connected green corridors to mitigate urban biodiversity loss, enhance ecological connectivity, and provide recreational and environmental benefits to local communities. This paper explores the land-use changes in the urban context, the potential of green connectivity, and challenges of maintaining urban green spaces. By fostering a shift in public perception, RUGS highlight the significance of urban green spaces and their optimal utilisation for ecological resilience and sustainability.
VIVIAN SOON
Malaysian Nature Society
Vivian is a Wildlife and Conservation Officer at the Malaysian Nature Society, where she plays a pivotal role in developing proposals and planning for the landscape-based initiatives, particularly the Rantaian Urban Green Spaces (RUGS). A graduate of Animal Resource Science and Management (Zoology) from the University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), she has extensive experience working on conservation projects in secondary forests and coastal regions in Sarawak. Vivian has also been actively involved in community outreach programs, particularly in the fishing villages of Pulau Ketam and western Sarawak, where she works to raise awareness about wildlife conservation and the importance of sustainable practices.