There we were, a group of journalists, basking in the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves and the occasional buzzing of winged insects, enjoying the raw nature under the clear, translucent sky. It was simply beautiful and delightful!
We were standing in a tropical forest 90m above sea level at Putrajaya for a preview of the forest-cum-park in Precincts 14 and 15, ahead of its official launch this coming Friday.
The park’s development comprises four phases, with the first beginning in 2001.
More than 94,000 trees have been planted so far and Putrajaya Corporation (PjC) will continue to identify new species especially the ones going extinct or are rare.
Taman Rimba Alam will also serve as a gene pool for research and preservation due to PjC’s close working ties with the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRiM) and the Forestry Department.
According to Rosslan, of the 163 meranti species found in peninsular Malaysia, 80 are available at the park.
The components of the park are:
·Avenue trees (planted near the entrance);
·Instant Forest Display (for large trees like palm);
·International Tropical Arboretum (forest trees originating from Southeast Asia);
·Red Meranti-Keruing Forest (dominant species in Malaysian forests);
·Ridgetop Hillside Forest (trees in hilly areas);
·Chengal-Kempas Forest (both important species are currently dwindling in numbers);
·Indigenous Forest Fruit Trees (to balance the eco-system);
·Planting Around Water Bodies (for high moisture species);
·Kasai Merawan Stand (represented by wide leaf trees); and
·Mixed Species Matrix (for fast-growing species).
After the tour on foot, we travelled on four wheel-drives through bumpy routes. We spotted horse trails used by the mounted police units for training.
Activities such as camping, fishing, trekking and horse-riding will be made available to the public from early next year.
Research, tree identification and related activities will also be opened to higher education institution students and government agencies.
The final phase of Taman Rimba Alam will be carried out under the 10th Malaysia Plan. Included in the final phase are the construction of a forest management and education centre, maintenance building, campsites, chalets, washrooms and park areas.
