Invasion of Our Cloud Forests-Haze in the Mist
14th September 2015-When I first saw this picture taken by our volunteer Miss Melody Woon with her handphone, I did not know whether to laugh or cry.
I wanted to laugh because children being children , their enthusiasm knows no bounds and having to put on masks did not dampen their spirits.
I wanted to cry because what should have been a fun outing for these young students from SJKC Tringkap in cool invigorating mists , now it is in haze laden mists. Our cloud forests have been invaded by haze.
With a large surface area 1500meteres above sea level, Cameron Highlands is usually spared from haze. However when the haze does come it is sometimes difficult to differentiate it from mists. Locals will tell you that mists tends to be whiter while haze has a greyish look to it. Of course when it envelops you there is no mistake the pungent smell of burnt leaves.
Melentur Aur Biar Dari Rebung
“Melentur Aur Biar Dari Rebung”– Bend a bamboo while it is still a shoot
21st August 2015-In our environmental work in Cameron Highlands, we hold dear to this Malay proverb, Melentur Aur Biar Dari Rebung, which means to teach a child, one should do it while he is young. He is more ‘pliant’ then and can absorb what you teach better.
It is thus that many of our environmental conservation programmes are geared for our school children. When sometimes things look bleak in spite of all our efforts, when trees continue to fall and rivers are running mud, we seek solace in the fact that our programmes continue to reach out to the younger generation.
And we are not alone. Many corporations and institutions continue to offer us assistance especially in programmes for youths. The assistance we have received from them these past few years include:
Grants from The Embassy of Finland. For 3 consecutive years the Embassy of Finland funded the setting of the biodiversity centre for research and education at Gunung Brinchang, mossy forest education tours and biodiversity activities, reforestation for our local students and publication of a book on montane birds.
( above picture- The Ambassador of Finland signing the agreement with REACH president)
CSI with Dimension Data on the 23rd August 2015
9th September 2015-Our friendship with Dimension Data (Malaysia) goes back more than 10 years ago when it was then known as Datacraft. Almost every year they would come up to Cameron Highlands to do an environmental programme with us, either reforestation or CSI Community Stream Investigations . This year it was the latter. On the 23 rd of August 2015 , 30 participants from Dimension Data joined us at Sg Pauh Forest Reserve. It started off as usual with a briefing by Miss Melody Woon , followed by stream analysis in Sungai Bertam just opposite the All Souls Church.
Mossy Forest Visit and Reforestation for SMK Ringlet 26th August 2015
26th August 2015- 30 Form 4 students from SMK Ringlet ( Ringlet National Secondary School) joined our programme today. There are 3 secondary schools in Cameron Highlands ie SMK Ringlet, SMKSAS Tanah Rata and SMK Kg Raja.
Below- Students filling in questionaire before programme
Mossy Forest Visit and Spring Cleaning at Biodiversity centre
24th August 2015-6th formers from SMKSAS ( Sultan Ahmad Shah National Secondary School) joined our mossy forest education tour today.Depending on the age group of our students, the mossy forest briefings vary in depth. For 6th formers , the information shared are rich in detail and we are pleased to note that our students were very receptive.
Mossy forest visit and reforestation for SK Ringlet on the 12th August 2015
12th August 2015-It was truly an amazing Blue Sky day today. 16 orang asli and local students from the National primary school Ringlet (Sekolah Kebangsaan Ringket) joined our mossy forest education tour, 16 fresh faced kids full of joy at being outdoors. (Till today we still feel a little strange and a trifle guilty perhaps ,of bringing our own Orang Asli (indigenous) children to see highland forests that many of them have never seen before. Oh what have we done to their backyards!)
The day started as usual with a briefing from Miss Melody and a pre-activity assessment. They were then taken to the Mossy Forest in Gunung Brinchang by 4 wheel drive vehicles where Mr Satya gave them a talk on the Mossy Forests.
