Kem Briged Alam Sekitar MBPJ

Petaling Jaya City Council through its Environment Health Unit organized a camp namely 'Kem Briged Alam Sekitar (MBPJ Environment Brigade Camp') on 25 to 27 July 2008 at Kuala Woh Recreational Park, near Tapah. Kuala Woh Recreational Park presents a natural backdrop for fun-seekers to swim, picnic and fish. It is about 13km from Tapah town, along Jalan Tapah-Cameron Highlands. The main attraction in the park is the shallow water of the Batang Padang River. Visitors are particularly drawn to the hot water that flows between the cracks of the rock, various numbers of Rajah Brook Bird Wings Butterflies and a suspension bridge.

Conducted by a member of mine and myself, together with our three assistants, this programme being participated by 38 students ( 15 male and 23 female) and 4 teachers (1 male and 3 female) from SMK Damansara Damai and SMK Seksyen 10, Kota Damansara of Petaling Jaya. The participants being divided to 5 groups and they have to prepare their meals by themselves.

In this programme, my friend, En. Ahmad Salihin gave a talk on environment, forest ecosystem and environmental issues while I gave a talk on sea turtle conservation and marine ecosystem of Malaysia. Beside that, we also conducted several environmental games, night walk, jungle trekking, nature fashion show, blind trail and nature craft, just to name a few.

 

For jungle trekking session, we did it on 26 July and the path is at Bukit Tapah Permanent Forest Reserve (62984.84 ha). This forest reserve is a Hill Dipterocarp Forest that rich with varieties of plants species such as Meranti (Shorea sp.), Nyatoh (Ganua sp.), Keruing (Dipterocarpus sp.), Merbau (Intsia sp.) and palm type of plants like Bayas (Oncosperma horridum) , Langkap (Arenga westerhoutii), Kabong (Arenga pinnata), Pinang (Areca catechu; Pinanga malaiana) and Bertam (Eugeissona tristis).

             

Various herbal plants and fruit plants also being seen during the trekking such as Durian (Durio sp.), Rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum), Pineapple (Ananas comosus), Manggis (Garcinia mangostana), Petai (Parkia speciosa), Cempedak (Artocarpus champeden) and Kundang (Bouea macrophylla). We also walked through rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) area. There were also various kinds of mushrooms that can be seen here such as the Ganoderma sp.

As this area is being used by Orang Asli (Indigenious people), we managed to see a simple shelter made of palm leaves made by them. I then took the chance to rest for a while under the shelter.