FRIM Selangor Forest Park Named Malaysia's Sixth UNESCO World Heritage Site
The announcement was made during the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, currently taking place from July 6 to 16 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The listing follows a nomination process that began in 2013 and was unanimously endorsed by the committee's 21 member states.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), the inscription recognises FRIM Selangor Forest Park's unique status as one of the world's earliest large-scale tropical forest ecosystem restoration projects, successfully converting a former tin mining site into a thriving and biodiverse rainforest.
'FRIM Selangor Forest Park is a unique site that exemplifies how degraded land can be restored into a rich, functioning ecosystem. This recognition sets an international benchmark for ecological restoration and underscores Malaysia's long-standing commitment to environmental conservation,' MOTAC said in a statement.
The restored forest, located just north of Kuala Lumpur, features high tree species diversity and a carefully managed ecosystem that closely mirrors a natural tropical rainforest. It is also a centre for research, education and eco-tourism, offering visitors a rare opportunity to experience a reconstructed rainforest environment.
MOTAC noted that the World Heritage listing is expected to significantly boost the park's appeal as a tourism destination, particularly in the lead-up to Visit Selangor Year 2025 and Visit Malaysia 2026. The ministry expressed confidence that the designation will attract more international visitors while providing sustainable economic benefits to local communities.
With this recognition, FRIM Selangor Forest Park joins five other Malaysian sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list including Kinabalu Park (2000), Gunung Mulu National Park (2000), Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca – Melaka and George Town (2008), Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley (2012) and Niah National Park Caves Complex (2024).
The park is now among 1,223 sites worldwide protected under the 1972 UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Related
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