Today, BFM very kindly did a feature on Kota Damansara forest reserve and did a plug for our Sunday KDCF Day. Thank you BFM, you rock! Unfortunately, I was truly scatterbrained, and when asked about apathy among Malaysians, did not do much to challenge that perception. Worse, I bellyached about it! Cringe. In actually fact, over the past four years we have had more than ample demonstration at KDCF of caring Malaysians and non-Malaysians alike. KDCF is where things are changing, and on behalf of my members and committee I would like to appreciate everyone that has ever done any volunteer work in our community forest. To do penance I would like to list some memorable examples of groups that have contributed to our forest. In no particular order: (1) Standard and Chartered Bank - just last weekend staff and management maintained all the Section 10 trails. Clean as a whistle. But more significantly, a team of strong and fit volunteers carried two heavy park bench components an estimated 1.6 km to their current location on the Temuan Trail. (2) Last year, and the previous year, and the previous year, IJM Land staff did a huge end of the year gotong royong, even venturing into the toxic soup of the KDCF lake, pulling out assorted garbage and weeds. They also released 100s of fish to help bring the lake back to health. IJM Land staff also sponsored our new Harmoni Trail and has committed to continually supporting its upkeep annually and indefinitely. (3) In the degraded section of the Section 9 portion of the KDCF, GE employees braved gigantic mutant mosquitoes to plant 100 trees to help restore previously cleared forest. GE says that it will help us move the wakaf we want to place between the T4 ad T5 trails. That is going to be a massive job. Im going to video that. The wakaf parts will have to travel about 2 km! (4) Students of Taylors College also did a wonderful job of tree planting at the northern boundary of the KDCF so that we will one day be able to have a forest link to the remnant forest in Sungai Buloh Forest Reserve. (5) Other enthusiastic groups that have given their weekends to do trail maintenance include young people from Month Kiara International School, International Medical University. (6) PPB Group also did a massive trail maintenance for the KDCF trails and is helping us to build the T5 trail this year. They also donated prizes that will be used for the Art Competition at this years event. (7) MBPJ always responds to our requests for in-kind support for our community days - this includes letting us have the use of stage, canopies, PA equipment, Gen sat, toilets, tables and chairs, and big bins. (8) Our MP, YB Sivarasa has always responded to our requests for support to hold our open days, and this year is no different. (9) Selangor Forestry Department forest officers have been unstinting in their responsiveness and support and we hope that this relationship continues. (10) The management of the Sec 10 Secondary School has been immensely tolerant of us, which has included letting us have the use of their toilets for desperate visiting groups. (11) Coordinators of the GEF Small Grants Programme have always been wonderfully supportive and we are grateful for their steadfastness in supporting us to where we are now. (12) Countless volunteer tour guides and KDCF ambassadors both official and unofficial help introduce 100s of people to this forest each year. This list is not exhaustive. But it is just a way to say Malaysians are not apathetic. I am clearly mistaken, and thank goodness for that!
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 08:44:06 +0000