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Indigenous: Ulu Geroh Rafflesia and Rajah Brooke's Birdwing Conservation Area |
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Photo credit:
KS Cheang/MNS |
19-06-2007
The Rafflesia is the world's largest flower, which are only found in the tropical rainforests of South East Asian countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines). There are twenty plus types of Rafflesia worldwide, of which a staggering eight endemic species can be found in Malaysia. Of which 3 can be found in the Peninsular Malaysia especially in Perak.
About 45 minutes off the beaten track from the former tin-mining town of Gopeng, passing through Malay kampongs, rubber estates, durian farms and oil palm estates, and forest, lies Kampong Ulu Groh. The settlement of the indigenous Semai community, has long been associated with the Rafflesia (Rafflesia cantleyi)and Rajah Brooke's Birdwing butterfly (Troides brookiana albescens) colonies nearby and within their village. Previously, the flowers were harvested and sold as a medicinal plant mostly to the Malays, whereas the butterflies were sold to a middleman for the souvenirs trade.
MNS members stumbled upon the Flowers in the early 1980s and it has been a yearly pilgrimage for the members. In 1998, the members reported that the populations are declining fast due the over harvesting by the Semai people. This is when MNS took upon the challenge to protect them.
In the year 2000, a 6 -month feasibility study was carried out by MNS in Ulu Groh, sponsored by IUCN (Netherlands). Through the study, it was observed that there were healthy colonies of the Rafflesia in several compartments within the Ulu Kinta Forest Reserve, easy accessibility to the sites, and the threat that comes from the easy accessibility thus providing a justification to conserve the area.
In 2002, the second phase of the project began. Sponsored by the UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (SGP GEF), a local community involvement project targeted at turning the Semai into stewards for the rare and endangered Rafflesia and the protected Rajah Brooke's Birdwing butterfly habitats at the same time earning them a supplementary income from ecotourism thus alleviating poverty. Awareness stop them from collecting but allows some of them to continue their harvesting of the forest products (eg rattan, bamboo, herbs, fruits, hunt for food, roof material, etc) at a sustainable basis. The project created ethnic pride and preservation of the Semai towards their culture, identity, and native tradition.
The effort was well received and interested Semai were trained as nature guides. Among them, stands 3 individuals who has obtained their Green Badge Certificates, conferred by the Ministry of Tourism for professional nature guides. The formal group named themselves SEMAI, coincidently, which is an acronym for 'Sahabat Ekopelancongan dan Memulihara Alam indah' or the 'Friends of Ecotourism and Nature Conservation' and has been operating since October 2004. Nature guiding is seen as a means for supplementary income for the SEMAI and the community. A major portion of the earnings comes from guiding and sales of merchandise, this is put into a community fund and is used for the benefit of the community after deducting the operating expenses.
On the 7th of April 2005, the SEMAI was officially launched with the support from the State government such as the Perak Orang Asli Affairs Department, Perak Forestry Dept., Perak Wildlife and National Parks Dept, and the Perak State Economic Planning Unit, amongst others.
In June 2005, the Earthwatch Institute members and HSBC helped repaired the ground floor of the Hall for the communities to told activities and meetings and created merchandise items. The JAKIM allowed SEMAI to use the unused Hall (previously a surau and a kindergarden).
The project ended its Third Phase in December 2006. The SEMAI were further capacity built to ensure self-dependent. Through the generous contributions from Dow Chemical (M) Sdn Bhd and the EU UNDP Small Grants Programme for the Protection of Tropical Forest (EU UNDP SGP PTF), they were trained in the aspect of language, detail knowledge on the Rafflesia and Butterflies, First Aid, PC, guiding skills, administration. The Visitors Information Center and the interpretative trails are opened to the public.
SEMAI has just had their second AGM with new fresh young committee members replacing the first pioneering committee members to take them to the next level.
In March 2007, a proposal for the conservation of Rafflesia has been forwarded to the EXCO Tourism, Dato' Hj Radzi Manan and the Perak Forestry Dept Director, Dato' Razani. It is hope that a second Rafflesia Center in the world besides Sabah will be formed for the benefit of humankind.
For enquiries regarding the Ulu Groh Project, please write to conservation@mns.org.my
Interested in visiting Ulu Groh?
The Rafflesia visit is the jewel of the visit to the historical and natural District of Kinta Selatan. The area encompasses many historical tin mining towns, old Perak administrative center of Batu Gajah, the birds of Kinta Nature Park, mysterious Kellie's Castle and the tin town of Gopeng. You can do adventure caving in Gua Tempurong or visit the temple caves south of Ipoh, river rafting, body rafting, or abseilling in the area. The grand finale is to see the Rafflesia and the congregating butterflies in Ulu Geroh and end it with a dip in the waterfall pool. If you are keen enough to explore the forest there is an overnight trek to Cameron Highlands.
One-Day Package is available for interested visitors to Ulu Geroh. The three individual packages include a visit to see the Rafflesia or the Rajah Brooke's Birdwing butterfly or the Damak Waterfall. The visitor will need to call in advance for the SEMAI to check for a potential blooming date. The SEMAI guides can arrange for transport into the village if you do not have a 4-WD, which will take approximately 40 minutes. Before entering the village, your personal details (name, IC/passport, address, and contact) will be for Forestry permission to enter a Forest Reserve and to register you at the Police Station in case of emergency. From the village, depending on which trail the flower is blooming, it will be a steep climb between 20 minutes to an hour and a half trek to the Rafflesia site; do look out for other plants and small animals along the way. Visitors can choose for a double package combination or a triple package combination. Visitors can also choose to go for a jungle trek if the Rafflesia is not in bloom.
Basic One-Day Package
Package 1: Rafflesia RM 22
Package 2: Rajah Brooke's Birdwing Butterfly RM 22
Package 3: Damak Waterfall RM 22
A combination of 2 packages is RM44
3 Packages is RM 55 or RM45 for an MNS member
(extra RM2 for tea and snacks)
Further pricing structure can be refer to the board or Visitors packages
For bookings and enquiries, please contact directly to:
En Ahha, SEMAI Chairman, Green Badge Guide - 017 3245200 (in English/ Malay)
Bah Insan, SEMAI vice chairman - 012 4007564 (in Malay)
En. Sani Sari, SEMAI Secretary- 017 511 8743 (in English/ Malay)
En. Umar Sara, SEMAI Committee - 012 645 6254 (in Malay)
Bah Azmi, SEMAI Committee - 017 504 0345 (in Malay)
Ngah Teroq, SEMAI Committee, Green Badge Guide - 017 5691227 (in Malay)
Ratna Emah, Assistant Treasurer, Green Badge Guide - 017 5040389 (in English/ Malay)
Some of the guides do understand English.
Usual Pick up/Meeting point : Gopeng MCA
Usual Pick up time: 9.00am
Usual Exit time: 2.30pm
(or you can arrange with them for a suitable time at your convenience)
Map
Things to bring
Please make sure that you are fit and do not have any heart problems and difficulty in breathing or walking difficulties. Small children and the elderly are recommended not to climb.
1. good and comfortable walking shoes or 'adidas kampong' (a rubber tapper shoe recommended by the Semais)
2. tongkat, for further support, if needed
3. enough water and snacks (optional)
4. cap/ hat for shade
5. comfortable clothing that can dry easily; tight jeans are not suitable
6. leech socks (can be a lot as a trail is named after them, the infamous Pacat Trail), optional (can be bought at MNS shop)
7. a change of clothes, sarong and towel if you are swimming
8. Personal medication & toiletries
9. optional basic first aid kit, especially anti histamines on prescription only (can be shared in a group; however the SEMAI guides will carry one)
10. camera
11. optional raincoat as it can be rainy there
Things to observe while in the forest reserve and village
1. Please do not take anything alive or dead. It is illegal to do so. You can only take photos.
2. Please be silent as not to disturb the other visitor and scare off the animal
3. Please do not throw rubbish, and take them back with you. You can only leave your footprints behind.
4. Please do not start unnecessary fire or cut the vegetation.
5. Please do not eat or touch anything, which you do not know, as it may be poisonous. Please ask your guide.
6. Please do not stray away from the group and not walk in alone or far in front of your guide.
7. Please listen to your guide's instruction carefully, which may save your life.
8. Please be respectful to the local community in the village
Please ask the guides to look after your small kid or elders in the Hall.
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