Malaysia: Eye on the coastline

Stuart Danker New Straits Times 18 Oct 14;

MNS volunteers paddle thousands of kilometres in aid of coastal conservation, writes Stuart Danker

FANCY a 2,000km road trip? Driving alone? It’s a daunting prospect. Now, imagine doing the whole trip around the peninsula — not in a car — but with a kayak.

This is exactly what is happening with the Malaysian Nature Society’s (MNS) project called Paddle for Nature, a programme that highlights our natural wonders and the threats facing these beautiful sights. Paddle for Nature aims to show the initiatives undertaken to address these threats.

The highlighted route will begin from Tumpat, Kelantan, and will outline the peninsula all the way to Langkawi, Kedah as the final stop.

MNS volunteers are currently paddling their way around the peninsula in relays, and should be reaching Tioman Island this weekend, picking up useful data along the way. “We are using geotagged photographs to document the coastline and record what is happening in these areas over time.

“Besides that, we are logging sea surface temperatures in collaboration with researchers from Universiti Malaya,” says MNS marine conservation manager Faedzul Rahman.

One sobering bit of “data” is that the coast is littered with trash, pooling in areas such as beaches and mangroves. And speaking of mangroves, development is taking a toll on an ecosystem that is highly beneficial to coastal societies.

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, the mangrove is a nurturing ground for many fish and birds. It also acts as a buffer to any harsh waves that may threaten coastal settlements and filter trash from being swept into the open sea. All these benefits are slowly receding, along with the mangroves.

After the data-collection, the paddlers will come ashore and compare notes with the ground crew. The ground crew play an equally important role as the paddlers. Where the paddler brings in first-hand data from the seas, the ground crew ensures the latter has everything needed. The ground crew constantly checks on the paddlers’ safety as well.

There’s also the responsibility of being an information gateway between what’s happening and the public. The ground crew updates the websites and blogs about MNS’ progress, and even engages with stakeholders and sponsors. This is to coordinate the events held by the latter parties with the community, such as tree planting and environmental education activities. The current list of supporters includes the Ministry of Natural Resources, external agencies and companies, and the public.

Despite everything going mainly as planned, awareness projects tend to face the usual hurdle of getting adequate funding. “While the weather had put us a little behind schedule, there was a time we had to prolong the journey due to a lack of funds. We are glad to be back on track but we still need more funds, and the more we receive, the more conservation work can be done,” Faedzul says.

WHAT WE STAND TO LOSE

Balu Perumal, the head of conservation at MNS, says that we are taking our coastline for granted. He says that it would be beneficial for us to remember that we are a maritime nation. “The definition of a maritime population means to live 100 km off the coastline, and most of us live well within that range. For instance, I live in Cameron Highlands, and am still able to eat fresh seafood that has been caught the day before. This means that while we are currently relying on land resources such as tin, palm oil, and rubber, we also need to remember about the economic prospects of sea resources, such as petroleum and fishes,” he points out.

Balu says that part of the conservation efforts looks into the economic overview of the country but what’s more alarming is the risk of losing our maritime biodiversity. “This is something that the older generation will remember. People used to flock to Terengganu to view leatherback turtles. It was a great way of promoting tourism. Imagine watching turtles the size of Volkswagen beetles on the beach!”

He laments that those days are over as the turtles have begun to shun Terengganu’s coast. He attributes this to the turtles’ preference for darkness while laying their eggs to avoid predators. Light pollution as a result of development is among the factors that are driving turtles away.

Keeping the seas clean is another challenge. “We need to educate the public to keep the seas clean because we have a lot to lose. Many watch National Geographic and think that beauty is only available outside Malaysia. We actually have very beautiful areas, and when it comes to corals, we have one of the richest coral beds in the world in terms of species count. We’re the number one destination for coral diving,” he says.

Adding to the richness of our coast are the shallow waters. Balu explains that the places where the sunlight is able to penetrate make for the most productive of seas. Couple that with the fact that these areas are often used as shipping lanes and MNS’s plight shifts more into a global concern as opposed to merely environmental.

“It goes back to our responsibilities. Besides not littering, we also need to keep an eye on the changes in our coastal features due to development, with the conversion of mangrove forests into resorts as an example. In the end, I hope that we don’t throw all this beauty away, because if we do, nobody will want to come to Malaysia.”

WHAT’S IN IT FOR US?

The main point that MNS wants to drive home is that while individual action makes a difference, the most important thing is for everybody to unite towards a better environment.

“Like its tagline, Paddle For Nature is about connecting people, technology and the environment for a better future,” says Faedzul.

We do not need to take to the seas to help out the cause but we’d do well to volunteer our time and effort. It’s the least we can do as a maritime nation.

Malaysia Nature Society Information

Targeted funding support: RM500 per kilometre (corporate) / RM10 per kilometre (individual)

Email: projects@mns.org.my

Details at www.paddlefornature.weebly.com