Trail Enhancement at Urban Community Forest

The volunteers

The Department of Student Affairs (DSA) of UTAR Sungai Long Campus organised Gotong-Royong – Trail Enhancement at Urban Community Forest (UCF), Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), Kuala Lumpur on 29 June 2019. A total of 14 students and staff volunteered in the gotong-royong project.

The aim of the gotong-royong project is in line with the university’s vision, which is to contribute to society through research and development, and education on forest conservation to improve the wellbeing of society.

The UCF initiative has been going on since 2016 with volunteering activities such as cutting the grass and shrubs, tree planting, nursery as well as trail enhancement. UTAR Sungai Long Campus took part in the gotong-royong activity for the first time in November 2017. This year, the university once again participated with a group of students and staff as part of its community project together with a couple of passionate volunteers, namely Koo Wee Him and Elsa.

The gotong-royong activity took place at one of the four trails at UCF which was the Jungle Fowl Trail for over three hours. The volunteers were assigned to build a soil ladder at the slope of the entrance of the trail along the trail entrance until further inside the forest before putting the roof tiles. They also dug up layers of plastics found buried along the trail entrance.

Besides the gotong-royong activity, the MNS members also shared with volunteers the benefits of local plants like Simpoh Air which can be used to collect water, a contraption made of bamboo and a big thick leaf that can be made into a pixie hat.

Students hardening the soil ladder

Students preparing roof tiles to be sent to Jungle Fowl Tail

Students and staff working together