Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Wishing everyone a Happy Chinese New Year holiday break!

May the Year of the energetic Rabbit get us even more active in protecting our beautiful planet!

Enjoy the holidays....drive carefully!!

Species of the Month - Meranti trees

Meranti trees

Shorea acuminata (Meranti Rambai Daun) is one of many meranti trees in the rain forest, and in Taman Negeri Selangor.  These trees grow to gigantic sizes, and form the main framework of the forest. 

Meranti trees are part of the Dipterocarpaceae family.  The genus, Shorea, is reported to be widely distributed, starting from Sri Lanka and India on the west and throughout Burma and other countries of Southeast Asia, up to the Philippines on the east. The greatest concentration of Shorea species is reported to occur in Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula.

Shorea acuminata is one of eighteen species representing several relatively distinct but related botanical groups of Shorea in Malaysia, which are collectively called Red Meranti. They usually grow at low altitudes and prefer well-drained soils.

Red meranti trees grow to be large, magnificent trees, attaining heights of 150 to 200 feet (45 to 60 m), with trunk diameters of 3 to 6 feet (0.9 to 1.8 m). Shorea acuminata is a canopy or emergent trees.  It has hermaphrodite flowers, and the main flower visitors are thrips and/or small beetles. Seeds are dispersed by wind or gravity. 

Meranti trees are much sought after for their timber. Meranti is reported to be the principal source of general utility timbers used in Malaysia. Local consumption of the timber is reported to exceed all others in the country, and it is regarded as one of the most important Malaysian species. It is also reported to be one of the principal export timbers.   Meranti wood is used as building materials, beams, doors, flooring, and furniture among many other uses.

 

The conservation of the Meranti tree is very important.  Without these big trees, the rainforest structure and ecology will break down.

According to the IUCN Red List, Shorea acuminata is listed as critically endangered, as at 1998.

So let’s protect this beautiful tree species.  Help do your part to protect and conserve Taman Negeri Selangor, and spread the word to your friends about this wonderful park and this magnificent tree!

Support TrEES in Our Environment Efforts

For those of you who are unfamilar, Treat Every Environment Special S/B (TrEES) is a non-profit environment organisation that has been a key organisation spearheading the establishment and conservation of the Selangor State Park.  TrEES needs your help to keep our activities going.

Here's how you can give TrEES a hand:

1.  Tell your friends about the Selangor State Park, email them the link to this blogsite, the Selangor State Park on Facebook, and Young Voices For Taman Negeri Selangor on Facebook and ask them to join us.

2.  Make a contribution to TrEES via www.maybank2u.com.my  (please copy and paste this address to safely arrive at the maybank2u website)

For more information on TrEES, please visit our website at www.trees.org.my

Get Out of the House - Visit the Ampang Recreational Forest!

Located in the southern area of the Selangor State Park is the Ampang Forest Reserve.  The Ampang Forest Reserve is, importantly, a water catchment forest.  It also includes some of the most magnificent forest stands left in this locality, and is rich in wildlife.  Hundreds of wildlife species have been documented in this area, a few include tapirs, leopards, slow loris, and gibbons, pit vipers and great angle-head lizards. 


There are also a number of important recreation sites within this region of the Park, of which, the Ampang Recreational Forest is one.  The Ampang Recreational Forest, also known as Taman Rimba Ampang or Bukit Belacan, is located about 13.5km east of Kuala Lumpur, following Jalan Ampang right to its very end.   The site is easily accessible from the city and is a popular get away for a lazy, afternoon picnic by the river.


The river is cool and clear, with many shallow pools to wade in and small rocks that provide natural massage.  The recreational forest actually runs along the access road to the Ampang water in-take (which supplies water to over 9,000 accounts in the Ampang area).  Only authorized vehicles are allowed on the road to the in-take point, so it makes access to the river quite simple, especially for those with small children or with disabilities.  You just need to walk along the road until you see a spot in the river that looks appealing, and then set up your picnic!


The Ampang Recreational Forest has recently been put back under the management of the Selangor Forestry Department.  The Department is doing a very good job keeping the area clean and fairly well maintained.  There is a car park at the entrance to the recreation site, and a small playground for young children.  There are a few changing hut and small gazebos to picnic under.
Aside from lazing about and enjoying the fresh air and cool river, the Ampang Recreational Forest is a popular birding area, in part due to the easy road access, and also because of the number of beautiful birds that dwell in the forests there.  It is possible that there are some trails in the vicinity, but these are not officially established trails, and it is not advisable to go hiking without informing the forestry department before hand.

There is a small entrance fee, to help the Forestry Department maintain the area, and to clean up the trash, but the fee is worth the beauty you’ll experience – and it is a real bargain as compared to the price of movie tickets!


When you visit, remember to always KEEP THE FOREST CLEAN.  Don’t feed the animals, especially the monkeys.  Don’t cut any trees or disturb the wildlife or other living creatures.  Let others enjoy the beauty that you enjoyed.

UNDER THREAT

Sadly, the entire Ampang Forest Reserve is under threat from the proposed alignment of the KL Outer Ring Road - or East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE).  The forest will be cut in half, as the highway will run from the south to the north of the Ampang forest reserve. Construction of the EKVE has already begun within the Park.  The pollution from construction and from the future highway use will definitely have a negative impact on the forests here and the functions it plays, which is very sad, as Taman Rimba Ampang is a real gem so close to our city centre!

HOW TO GET THERE

1. By train: Take the Rapid KL train (Ampang line) from the Masjid Jamek station and get off at the last station which is Ampang itself. From here, you could either take a taxi or bus directly there (Rapid KL bus #T302 – you have to cross the road to get to the bus stop though).  The bus will take you right to the car park outside the recreation forest 

2. Take Rapid KL bus #T302 from Ampang Point.  The bus route ends right at car park outside the recreation forest - so easy!

3.  By car – just stay on Jalan Ampang until the very, very end (heading out of the city, towards Ampang).  It winds through a small kampung, and then you’ll end up at the parking lot.


GPS Coordinates:
3°09'03.0"N 101°47'43.1"E

Want to read more :

up-your-toot.blogspot.my - TWNS Taman Rimba Ampang

Support from Maybank2u

TrEES recently received funding from Maybank2u through its 'Love the Earth' Campaign, to help spread awareness to communities on the Selangor State Park.  Thanks M2U!

Maybank2u - Love the Earth Campaign

1 Malaysia Poll - where's the environment?

The 1Malaysia website has recently put up a poll, for people to rate which of the 4 areas they would like the government to improve on in 2011:
 - the economy
 - public infrastructure
 - public safety
 - education

What has happened to the ENVIRONMENT?  When will our government think to consider the environment as a concern of the people?

You can put a comment on his facebook site, if you'd like to ask YAB to consider improving the environment in 2011:  Comment - Where's the Environment?

Highway Sparks Water Worries

Please check out the following article that appeared recently in the news:

The Sun newspaper : Highway Sparks Water Worries

The Selangor Times: