Reforestation on the 16th December 2012
16th December 2012
In the small town of Cameron Highlands, deforestation is everywhere. On the 12th of December 2012, 150 volunteers from the forestry department and R.E.A.C.H headed to Sungai Pauh to give life to an area which was now as empty as a man’s shaven head. I myself took part in this activity as a volunteer of R.E.A.C.H. Upon arriving at the site, we split up into groups and were trailing down slopes of 45 degrees while planting saplings at certain sites. Minutes and hours passed by as we planted over a hundred saplings in that one area. Once at the bottom, I noticed that we could have done better. The group consisted of too many people. An exact figure would be hard to give but one in every 7 saplings or so would be stepped on as the trail sloped downwards. Adding on to that would be the inability for a very small fraction of the people to realize that “the plant should be in the soil and not on the surface”. A flaw on its own is negligible but a slew of them would affect the results adversely. In conclusion, the overall success of this reforestation project was average. A project of this scale should have been taken more seriously but as a wise man once said “It’s still better than not trying” and I still believe that this is a stepping stone for a better Cameron Highlands.
By Tristan
Volunteers Wanted
Why volunteer?
We, at REACH do so because we love Cameron Highlands and wish to make it a better place.
Our past helpers volunteered because they wanted to make their stay here more meaningful and contribute something to Cameron Highland. For that we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.
What about you? Would you like to volunteer for the good of the environment and the folks of Cameron Highlands?
REACH is a non-profit organisation and we have only one paid employee , our office manager Saras.
We need volunteers like we need air to breath ( not that there is a shortage of fresh air up here!) Our volunteers inject us with fresh doses of energy and enthusiasm.Without them REACH would be unsustainable.
They conduct studies, help us carry out our environmental activities and lend us their expertise in various fields. They may do field work or office work such as cataloguing or improving the web page.
So for the college student out there who would like to spend the semester break in the cool mountains of Peninsular Malaysia, for our visitors near and far, come join us in making your stay here a more enriching one.
We need help in so many areas, We need researchers, computer experts especially on the
GPS mapping system, teachers, scientists, photographers and documentary film makers, artists, translators, writers , designers and event organisers . Well not to worry if you have none of these skills. We still need your ENTHUSIASM.
As for the level of physical fitness required, if you can climb the 4 flight of steps to the REACH office without panting, you fit enough! Mind you, there are many hills to climb in Cameron Highlands
If you are interested in lending a helping hand. We welcome you.
“Cameron Highlands Needs a Helping Hand…Yours”
Contact No:
Tel:05-4914798 ( 9am to 12.30pm )
Fax:05-4915832
Hotline: 019- 514 5851(Saras)
www.reach.org.my
Email: nitiya31880@yahoo.com.sg or reach.president@gmail.com
or reach.cameronhighlands@gmail.com
Montane Birds Of Cameron Highlands
This is a soft cover book with 102 species of montane birds of Cameron Highlands showcased. It was published in 2014 Please contact us if you wish to purchase this book. It can also be purchased directly from our office.
The product code is BB 1/2014 ISBN :978-983-44449-1-4
Price for members RM 60/book , for non members RM 65/book.
For purchases of 10 books or more the price is RM50/book. All prices quoted are excluding postage.
Books will only be posted after proof of payment is received
Rainbow of Hope in Cameron Highlands?
“You wouldn’t recognize it, Melody. It’s all gone now.”
“What? What happened to it? Tell me.”
“You have to come back and see for yourself.”
And I did. After being away from home for a year pursuing my final year law degree in the UK, finally, I had come home.
On first glance, it seemed that nothing had changed since the past year. Locals rushed about town going through the motions of their daily lives, tourists jam up the streets as usual during the weekends, students still hang out in the only place they could – Starbucks – all in all life goes on.
Not knowing anything to be amiss, I continued the whole charade of meeting up with family and friends whom I have not seen since a year ago and it was on one of these meet ups in which I realized that the Cameron Highlands I left a year ago has changed. And not for the better either.
My friends and I decided to make a day trip to the Sungai Palas BOH Tea Plantation and it was with much chatter and laughter as we made the trip into the tea plantation and I remember marveling at my friend’s driving skill as she maneuvered the car smoothly on the extremely winding road despite having a faulty horn.
On the way, I looked out of the windows admiring the outside scenery flashing past when I suddenly exclaimed loudly:” What happened to the valley???” For it was barely a year ago when across from the (originally Equatorial) hotel), a valley sloped steeply downwards into tropical rainforest and I remember distinctly a particular tree in which a resident eagle used to roost there every day.
Now, the valley has been completely filled up and I could see heavy machinery and workmen going about flattening the land for presumably building purposes. The tree still stands, a lonely outpost amidst barren land. I do not see the eagle.
A monstrous complex now stands smack in the middle of agricultural farmland. I avert my gaze and look straight ahead as my friend drives steadily towards our destination.
A few days later, I decided to take a stroll around town. It had been raining continuously for several days, the rain sheeting down relentlessly, only giving an hour or two’s respite in a day. I couldn’t take the bleakness of the gloomy weather anymore; it reminded me too much of dull grey depressing days in the UK; and immediately strode out for a walk when I saw the bright gleam of sunlight through the window.
As I strolled about aimlessly, I finally realized that my feet were taking me to, of all places, the public library, and I wondered if I could get Jodi Picoult’s Vanishing Acts there. I walked up to the main entrance and was surprised to see the door tightly shut. I checked my watch. It showed 5.15pm and I smiled apologetically to myself, making a mental promise to return someday during working hours, I turned around to leave and lo and behold, a beautiful 7 color arch stopped me in my steps.
I stood gawking at the beautiful rainbow for a few seconds before realizing that I was standing in the middle of the road and a man had just walked past me giving me a baleful glare. I smiled at him, but he turned away and continued walking up the slope into the woods which were nearby and I just can’t help thinking about the millions of people everyday who are so wrapped up in their own self-pity, anger, hate, and troubles that they forget to enjoy the simple things in life: stepping into a wet soccer field after the rain and smelling the grass and rain, waking up early in the morning to catch a glimpse of the sunrise before going to work or class, strolling along the beach admiring the sunset, walking into a small nature clearing and just stand there and breathe for a few moments, walking out into the garden at night after the heat of the sun is long gone to admire the moonlight, exclaiming in breathless wonder at the sight of a beautiful rainbow in the sky.
I stepped back and laughed at myself for having these thoughts, began to walk contentedly back home, my footsteps lighter than it had been on the journey here. I decided to take a shortcut back instead of using the main street so I cut through the back of the food court in the centre of Tanah Rata town and stopped dead in my tracks again.
It wasn’t a pretty sight: behind the sheets of aluminum blocking the view of pedestrians and motorists, the banks of the river were gouged as if by giant bird talons, the soil running into the river, which was a sick muddy yellow; a blemish on the otherwise innocently picturesque looking town centre which can be seen above the aluminum sheets.
Silently, I walked home. Cameron Highlands has indeed changed. More land is being cleared by the day, to make way for more agricultural and tourism purposes. Many of the natural sites and trails are ill maintained, overlooked by greedy eyes which sought for riches to be gained elsewhere.
The Cameron Highlands of my childhood has long since disappeared, but at the very least, I have hope. I hope that this is the lowest point that Cameron will ever hit and now gradually we will slowly yet steadily start climbing up again. I hope that the children of Cameron Highlands will one day have the childhood memories I had: of running through fields barefooted, catching beetles of all sizes, shapes and colors, of splashing in the icy crystal clear pools in the nature reserve, of wrapping up warm watching TV indoors while it is cold, misty and raining outside.
After the rain, there will be sun, and maybe even a rainbow.
By Melody Woon