A visit to Tanjong Sepat and Morib recently unearthed an ugly discovery. Visitors to this region of Selangor, Malaysia know that the main attraction here is agricultural tourism. Plantations and farms abound with dragonfruit, longan (mata-kuching), durian, mushroom, and all kinds of tubers for the keropok (crisps) industry.
So my family and I visited the longan farm. It was closed but the perimeter of the farm was draped with fine fishing net to keep birds out. Just look at this beautiful bee-eater that we managed to save from a long, arduous death.
Isn't our wildlife in peril enough without these farms further decimating what precious little is left?
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Rivers of life, or are they really...?
I love rivers. I have always been fascinated by the promise they hold, and the mysterious secrets they keep of the history they've run through. A river's journey starts ever so humble, a little spring somewhere. I hope to have the opportunity to see such a spring some day. It would please me greatly to observe the origin of a river.
As it meanders over rocks, cutting its way to the sea, what should be an exciting journey must now be a horrendous one, as Old Man River has found out ever since man began civilisations on its banks.
Rivers have become natural and convenient sewers. Whatever that's discarded, inevitably ends up in a river. And it's not only trash either. Developers quite non-chalantly allow silt to flow into rivers, raising the river bed, padding the banks. No one notices until one day the heavens open and a huge downpour showers the earth with blessings. At first, it looks like a stream of red sludge. Uncleared after a few years,the sludge forms into a new bank causing narrowing and shallowing of rivers. And what's the result of that? Floods of course! And with it the destruction of beauty that once banked the river.
The photographs you just saw are of Sungai Kayu Ara which runs through Ara Damansara. When I take my walks in the morning, it dismays me that this river, which in its unpolluted and undisturbed state would be a carrier of untold natural beauty. I can only think back to the days when I lived overseas at how beautiful the river and canal banks were.
The river and canal cruises are so enjoyable and relaxed not only because of its slow pace as it meanders and negotiates the turns and curves of the waterway, but the view being on board affords. The river bank teems with amphibious and bird wildlife. The odd reptile appears now again which raises the excitement level on the boat for a brief moment.
The canal routes on ground are equally pleasant. Because the banks of the canal are well cared for, no not professionally landscaped (ugh!). It's preservation of the natural environment. A cycle path weaves over the bank where cyclists, either on errands or just leisure have a pleasant ride to and from their destinations. And for pedestrians, ooo la la, what joy and peace to take a walk along the canal bank path on a sunny day with a balmy breeze blowing. Just off the beaten path, you will come across a village pub for a great lager and scrumptious pub food. Just a simple search for "canal boat trips" reveals a rich list of canals throughout the UK, which shows you just how popular these sort of excursions are.
Is that too much to hope for our Malaysian river banks? Looking at the total disregard towards our rivers, I'm afraid the answer is "yes". I truly wish for the local and federal authorities to realise just how much potential there is for rehabilitating our rivers and the economic potential they hold for local tourism (especially for schools to educate their children on river ecology), foreign tourism (another way for foreigners to appreciate the local life) and most of all what pride our country could take in promoting our living rivers as opposed to its current state of "dying sewer".
A cycle track cum walking path along the river banks makes for inspirational exercise. No doubt I'm sure after a while a Ramli Burger or Keropok Lekor stall will set up, but as long as all trading en route is regulated so that the path does not turn into a hawker trail, I still think the idea viable.
With so many corporates getting on the conservation bandwagon, I am praying someone out there will spare a thought for our once beautiful rivers and bring them back to be recognised as a gift from nature.
As it meanders over rocks, cutting its way to the sea, what should be an exciting journey must now be a horrendous one, as Old Man River has found out ever since man began civilisations on its banks.
Rivers have become natural and convenient sewers. Whatever that's discarded, inevitably ends up in a river. And it's not only trash either. Developers quite non-chalantly allow silt to flow into rivers, raising the river bed, padding the banks. No one notices until one day the heavens open and a huge downpour showers the earth with blessings. At first, it looks like a stream of red sludge. Uncleared after a few years,the sludge forms into a new bank causing narrowing and shallowing of rivers. And what's the result of that? Floods of course! And with it the destruction of beauty that once banked the river.
The photographs you just saw are of Sungai Kayu Ara which runs through Ara Damansara. When I take my walks in the morning, it dismays me that this river, which in its unpolluted and undisturbed state would be a carrier of untold natural beauty. I can only think back to the days when I lived overseas at how beautiful the river and canal banks were.
The river and canal cruises are so enjoyable and relaxed not only because of its slow pace as it meanders and negotiates the turns and curves of the waterway, but the view being on board affords. The river bank teems with amphibious and bird wildlife. The odd reptile appears now again which raises the excitement level on the boat for a brief moment.
The canal routes on ground are equally pleasant. Because the banks of the canal are well cared for, no not professionally landscaped (ugh!). It's preservation of the natural environment. A cycle path weaves over the bank where cyclists, either on errands or just leisure have a pleasant ride to and from their destinations. And for pedestrians, ooo la la, what joy and peace to take a walk along the canal bank path on a sunny day with a balmy breeze blowing. Just off the beaten path, you will come across a village pub for a great lager and scrumptious pub food. Just a simple search for "canal boat trips" reveals a rich list of canals throughout the UK, which shows you just how popular these sort of excursions are.
Is that too much to hope for our Malaysian river banks? Looking at the total disregard towards our rivers, I'm afraid the answer is "yes". I truly wish for the local and federal authorities to realise just how much potential there is for rehabilitating our rivers and the economic potential they hold for local tourism (especially for schools to educate their children on river ecology), foreign tourism (another way for foreigners to appreciate the local life) and most of all what pride our country could take in promoting our living rivers as opposed to its current state of "dying sewer".
A cycle track cum walking path along the river banks makes for inspirational exercise. No doubt I'm sure after a while a Ramli Burger or Keropok Lekor stall will set up, but as long as all trading en route is regulated so that the path does not turn into a hawker trail, I still think the idea viable.
With so many corporates getting on the conservation bandwagon, I am praying someone out there will spare a thought for our once beautiful rivers and bring them back to be recognised as a gift from nature.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Community Green Lungs
Being a member of the Malaysian Nature Society, I have been invited to their KL Green Lung Seminar to be held on 14th June 2008 @ Rimba Ilmu Building, UM, KL
The primary concern of the MNS at this seminar arises from the unveiling of the KL Draft City Plan2020. “The issue of city planning and green lung conservation is of utmost importance. As such, we at the MNS feel that this seminar would be a good opportunity for the wider community to come together and address the issue with feedbacks and inputs from the relevant people and authorities.”
The suburb I live in, was an oil palm estate before redevelopment. The whole parcel is sub-divided and owned by various parties. Most parcels have already been developed but those that have not, all the oil palm was cut down and the land just left to overgrow with acacia and lallang. I constantly question the wisdom of cutting down trees that are not in anyone’s way or a threat to safety.
So firstly, why cut down the oil palm trees if development is not going to take place immediately? Why can't the trees be left to support the existing habitat and provide refuge for wildlife until such time as development begins?
Secondly, if the landowners do clear the land and not immediately commence development, then they should be made responsible to plant easily manageable crop for the community and/or allow the surrounding community to cultivate the land with non-woody plants. My suggestion of non-woody plants is so that it is easier to clear when development does begin.
Idle land can be planted with bananas, papayas, serai, lengkuas, kantan and such like for the community to help themselves. These plants propagate easily and hardly require maintenance except from nature's goodwill. Now with food shortage and escalating prices, cleared and abandoned land should be fully utilised to provide for the people. The landowner can clearly state on a notice board, the details of ownership of the land and that no permanent structure or resident can legally take tenancy on the land. Until development arrives, the vacant land can be cultivated by the surrounding community.
Make a visit to Bandar Harapan in Ara Damansara one day.
It is a very interesting community project on land below high-tension pylons. Here anyone can cultivate a small allotment of land, harvest produce for themselves, while the excess goes towards the underprivileged community that maintains it i.e for the purchase of fertilizer. It is fully organic. I spoke to a 'farmer' there one day. He was a man who loves gardening but because he stays in an apartment, he cannot live his passion in his concrete box. Instead he says, the Bandar Harapan provides him an avenue to cultivate a garden and help the underprivileged at the same time. The harvest is sold to the public on Sundays.
Let’s put wasteland to good use, and leave our forests alone to do their god-given job.
Visit my other community blog
Ara Damansara Reality Files
The primary concern of the MNS at this seminar arises from the unveiling of the KL Draft City Plan2020. “The issue of city planning and green lung conservation is of utmost importance. As such, we at the MNS feel that this seminar would be a good opportunity for the wider community to come together and address the issue with feedbacks and inputs from the relevant people and authorities.”
The suburb I live in, was an oil palm estate before redevelopment. The whole parcel is sub-divided and owned by various parties. Most parcels have already been developed but those that have not, all the oil palm was cut down and the land just left to overgrow with acacia and lallang. I constantly question the wisdom of cutting down trees that are not in anyone’s way or a threat to safety.
So firstly, why cut down the oil palm trees if development is not going to take place immediately? Why can't the trees be left to support the existing habitat and provide refuge for wildlife until such time as development begins?
Secondly, if the landowners do clear the land and not immediately commence development, then they should be made responsible to plant easily manageable crop for the community and/or allow the surrounding community to cultivate the land with non-woody plants. My suggestion of non-woody plants is so that it is easier to clear when development does begin.
Idle land can be planted with bananas, papayas, serai, lengkuas, kantan and such like for the community to help themselves. These plants propagate easily and hardly require maintenance except from nature's goodwill. Now with food shortage and escalating prices, cleared and abandoned land should be fully utilised to provide for the people. The landowner can clearly state on a notice board, the details of ownership of the land and that no permanent structure or resident can legally take tenancy on the land. Until development arrives, the vacant land can be cultivated by the surrounding community.
Make a visit to Bandar Harapan in Ara Damansara one day.
It is a very interesting community project on land below high-tension pylons. Here anyone can cultivate a small allotment of land, harvest produce for themselves, while the excess goes towards the underprivileged community that maintains it i.e for the purchase of fertilizer. It is fully organic. I spoke to a 'farmer' there one day. He was a man who loves gardening but because he stays in an apartment, he cannot live his passion in his concrete box. Instead he says, the Bandar Harapan provides him an avenue to cultivate a garden and help the underprivileged at the same time. The harvest is sold to the public on Sundays.
Let’s put wasteland to good use, and leave our forests alone to do their god-given job.
Visit my other community blog
Ara Damansara Reality Files
Saturday, June 7, 2008
The STAR's "GREEN DAY 2008" on 8-Jun-2008
Praises to The STAR for organising the Green Every Day, Act Now! event promoting awareness of the World Environment Day.
The string of activities and participating organisations are impressive and relevant.
However, I do not find anywhere in Debbie Chan's feature mention of what parameters The Star as organiser is imposing or should I say encouraging. For instance, I believe we should totally stamp out the supply of styrofoam for any common use like food packaging. Its use is so rampant in our country, to the point I am disgusted by any organization or activity that promotes “green-ess” but continues to allow this non-biodegradable material to be present in their midst. Nowhere in Debbie Chan’s feature is there mention of a blanket ban of Styrofoam or plastic bags at the Green Day celebration.
Shouldn’t one of the objectives of such an event be to make a statement against the use of these materials and be exemplary in walking the talk? I shall visit the event’s F&B stalls to see if this most common pollution ingredient is banned. Or will the Green Day event just be all hype to gain some popularity mileage in corporate social responsibility and earn some carbon-related points?
I have seen a shop on the 2nd floor of Atria in Damansara Jaya selling biodegradable food packaging. I wonder if that business is a participant at this Green Day event. Will the Department of Environment be there to promote their directory of recycling services? It’s a free book and relatively unknown to the consuming public. Will there be a battery collection station? Batteries are so toxic to the environment, and because they are so small, it makes it so easy to just toss into the bin. Any vendor appointed and represented to collect this severely toxic waste at the event? Again no mention of it in Debbie Chan’s feature.
I really wish to see organizers of such Green Day events proactively facilitate promotion of the common and basic waste management activities that eat into the heart of every home in this country and throughout the world. The information I gather from the feature, tells me this is just another rah-rah lip-service environmental awareness public event.
I hope I’m proven wrong tomorrow.
The string of activities and participating organisations are impressive and relevant.
However, I do not find anywhere in Debbie Chan's feature mention of what parameters The Star as organiser is imposing or should I say encouraging. For instance, I believe we should totally stamp out the supply of styrofoam for any common use like food packaging. Its use is so rampant in our country, to the point I am disgusted by any organization or activity that promotes “green-ess” but continues to allow this non-biodegradable material to be present in their midst. Nowhere in Debbie Chan’s feature is there mention of a blanket ban of Styrofoam or plastic bags at the Green Day celebration.
Shouldn’t one of the objectives of such an event be to make a statement against the use of these materials and be exemplary in walking the talk? I shall visit the event’s F&B stalls to see if this most common pollution ingredient is banned. Or will the Green Day event just be all hype to gain some popularity mileage in corporate social responsibility and earn some carbon-related points?
I have seen a shop on the 2nd floor of Atria in Damansara Jaya selling biodegradable food packaging. I wonder if that business is a participant at this Green Day event. Will the Department of Environment be there to promote their directory of recycling services? It’s a free book and relatively unknown to the consuming public. Will there be a battery collection station? Batteries are so toxic to the environment, and because they are so small, it makes it so easy to just toss into the bin. Any vendor appointed and represented to collect this severely toxic waste at the event? Again no mention of it in Debbie Chan’s feature.
I really wish to see organizers of such Green Day events proactively facilitate promotion of the common and basic waste management activities that eat into the heart of every home in this country and throughout the world. The information I gather from the feature, tells me this is just another rah-rah lip-service environmental awareness public event.
I hope I’m proven wrong tomorrow.
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