Peat Poverty

It’s hot and incredibly humid, and very green. Armed with water, anti-mosquito spray and cameras, we’re walking in the Raja Musa Forest Reserve. Here, the Global Environment Centre (GEC) is busy rehabilitating devastated peat forests. Volunteers, organised via facebook and twitter, plant the fast-growing Mahang seedlings twice a month.

The problem? “Over the past ten years, more than 500ha of the reserve has been illegally cleared and burnt for farming activities,” says GEC.

Burning forests to make way for growing food is the cheapest way. No wonder it’s attractive to those who don’t possess much cash. “In developing countries, there is always the poverty element,” says Mr Chee, our guide.

The problem is, when burnt, peat forests release massive amounts of CO2 which the peat has been patiently collecting. This is certainly the climate change’s wish come true…

Our planted trees in the peatlands

Pursuit of happiness

I catch up with one of the activists. He is excited to talk about all stuff tree planting-related.

“Why are you doing this?” I ask him.

He thinks I’m ignorant – haven’t I been listening all this time?

“Peat lands are very important to the environment. We need to replant this degraded area…”

“No, but why are you doing this?”

He smiles. “It makes me happy. I’m happy to see these trees grow. I’m happy I can help.”

Beat that! 

Raja Musa rehabilitators (Mr Chee - in the middle)

Garbage/trash/rubbish/river

Sungai Way is a Class IV river, meaning its water is really, really bad (Class V would be a total poison). Its main source of pollution is waste, whether from residential, commercial or industrial areas. Our guide says people don’t really consider the river as part of the natural world, they see it as, well, a dump.

W.A.T.E.R. project set up to change this harmful mindset.

“It’s a unique project,” says our guide. “It’s real rehabilitation, while other projects are mostly concerned only with beautification.”

Raising awareness has paid off, and there are plans to re-introduce local fish into the river which is currently occupied by immigrant fish, which are pollution-resistant.

But this is happening further down the stream. Back in the woods, where Sungai Way starts, we are encouraged to listen to the sound of pristine, still unpolluted water. It does sound different, indeed.

A river in Selangor state

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