Court decision on the Asian Carp in the US

It was reported in yesterday's papers that a Court in the US will decide on whether to allow an introduced species of river fish - the Asian Carp - to 'move' into Lake Michigan. The Asian carp is a predator. It is an introduced species and therefore there are no other fish in the rivers that will feed on it, allowing the species to grow in numbers and practically decimate the natural species in the rivers. The fish can grow to almost 100lbs. It's big.

A similar story is found in our Malaysian rivers, with the South American arapiama invading our natural waters after some previous owners didn't want to keep them as a pet anymore. That fish can grow up to 30 feet in size. The 'monster' reportedly spotted in Tasik Temenggor was alleged to have cause the death of 2 fishermen - knocked off the boat and drowned.

Then there is the flowerhorn fish, that owners kept and bred for a while for good luck but then threw them in the waterways after getting bored of them. Another introduced / exotic species that are now king of many waterways killing the natural fishes in its domain....

Many more examples why we should be careful what we put into the rivers of Tanarimba.

...and this story can be expanded to the type of trees, the pets that we bring with us etc to the still balanced and sensitive eco-system that exist in Tanarimba.

A lot happening....

Back in December 2009, I did a quick run to Tanarimba and was surprised by the pace of 'development'. The community is finally moving in. I hope that we will continue to observe and preserve the essence of Tanarimba and help each other keep its unique identity. And if you don't know what that is, just take a peek at Sitrac's official tanarimba website.

Just a few reminders once again. More can be found in earlier postings of this blog.

1. Please keep as many trees as possible. It is stated in the title deed after all. And if we have to cut some down (example for the road), it is recommended that we plant six for every single tree cut.
2. Along with the trees, please keep as much of the natural undergrowth as possible. Just clearing the land and planting taiwanese grass might appeal to most, but a jungle is a jungle. It needs a natural ecosystem which includes the undergrowth. You might want to have some clearing for a play area, but I would recommend you keep the other parts of your land in its natural form, please.
3. Blend in with the locals. The animals, birds, insects and worms (including leeches) were there first. So, we are the invaders. It would only be neighbourly to leave them some ( a lot if we keep most of the trees and undergrowth) space and freedom to co-exist with us.
4. It is recommended that we plant only indigenious trees. Please try to avoid imported (also called exotic) species that are not naturally found in the area or along such terrain. It will disturb the natural ecosystem.

Welcome to the rainforest!

Do you know..?

Well....Fate has it that I should leave this space for a little while. Before I go on my sojourn, let me leave you with some pictures of trees that I have yet to get a confirmed identification for. Perhaps, you might be able to help or would like to venture a guess? Please feel free to drop me a line. Thank you!

Figs - every jungle needs some

The Ficus (figs) is a key-stone species. One that a rainforest depends on to survive as a rainforest. In other words, without it, you can rename the rainforest as something else. As a form tree, it is quite unique and in many ways there is no other tree quite like it, in terms of uniqueness. Well, you may argue that uniqueness in a species is relative. I may find the human kind to be unique while others may not.

There are over 750 species of figs worldwide. And amazingly, almost each specie of figs depend on a particular species of fig wasps to pollinate it. Well, some figs may depend on more than one type of fig wasp, but generally speaking that mutual dependency between figs and the specially evolved fig wasps is more exclusive than any other kind of tree species in the world as we know it.

The wasps would pollinate the figs and while doing so (in the natural world there is no free lunch too) , the figs would provide food and shelter for the wasps to lay their eggs and for the eventual young wasps to be fed (on the seeds of the figs).

Later, the figs would then depend on other animals of the jungle, most notably the birds and the bats, to transport the pollinated seeds to another location to be transplanted and later grow into another fig tree.

Because the figs do fruit a few times a year (and at different times of the year for different species) and there are many fig trees in the forest, it is an important source of food for the feathered kind and our fellow flying mammals. Without the figs, the birds, bats, monkeys and other tree-climbing animals would not have a constant and assured source of food.

That is why the figs are so important.

You can read more about the incredible story of the figs, how it has evolved and what it means to us in Colin Tudge's wonderful book entitled "The Secret Life of Trees". I have unashamedly but with utmost respect and humility borrowed from his book for this short entry.

The first to come and the first to go...

In a distrubed area there are some tree species that will do better at the start, in the open clearing, only to be overtaken later by other species. Besides the Macaranga and Mallotus, there are also the ever-present bamboos and this one - Trema spp.

The one featured above is probably the Trema orientalis which will grow to a sizeable tree of about 60 feet in height. It has flower clusters on the leaf-axils with berries that are slightly flattened, green then red to black. Birds often feed on these berries and help in the tree's distribution.

This tree will later be overtaken by the more matured "longer-lasting" forest tress like the dipterocarps which will grow beneath its shade at first.

This tree will not last long and it would be a good idea to keep an eye on it as it grows older lest one falls onto your roof!...

[Thanks Balu for your help on this one]

Not so suitable, this one... try another

The Syzygium campanulatum or Kelat Paya is commonly found in many cities in Malaysia mainly for landscaping purposes. It has orange to reddish young leaves that would give the tree an appealing look after every 'haircut'. Dotting most road dividers, making up most of today's hedges and even appearing in parks, it has become, in my opinion, too pervasive. It has also found its way into Tanarimba.


Although a native specie, it naturally grows in the flat lowlands near freshwater swamps - hence its local name - Kelat Paya. So being in the hilly terrain of Tanarimba is not quite homecoming for the Kelat Paya. Nevertheless, it does prove to be an effective screen if you want privacy. However, I would not recommend it as the dominant tree in your garden in Tanarimba. Further it doesn't have fruits that would attract birds or other wildlife.

More suited for Tanarimba's look, since we are in a logged-over forest would be something like a Dipterocarp. The largest genus of the Dipterocarps would be the Shoreas. Here's a handsome specimen found in the hilly terrain of Tanarimba- the Shorea curtisii or Seraya (below). From afar it's cabbage like crown of pale bluish green would stand out from the thick evergreen of the rainforest.

Ed note - Reference were made to Corner and Symington's Manual of Dipterocarps. Plenty of help from friends - Surin, Reza, Dylan, Balu and Prof Wong.

Please consider the following locations for more information on trees, conservation and the like:-
www. wildasia.net, Rimba Ilmu at University Malaya and WWF Malaysia.

Another tree lesson..

This is quite an easy one to spot.





When fully grown this tree will reach about 100 feet. It has an open crown and its branches sort of droops as if carrying some heavy load at the ends. Actually, the ends are where large green flower buds or young fruits with big star-like calyx are located. Interestingly the flowers opens in the evening, starting at about 5.30pm then fully open at 7.30pm (dusk?). Young leaves are reddish pink. Local name being the Beremban Bukit and the botanist would call it the Duabanga grandiflora. Commonly found on the main range of the peninsular. There are 3 species in the Duabanga genus and only 1 is found in Malaysia. (Source - EJH Corner - Wayside Trees of Malaya...again)

For the next post, I will cover some useful tips on how to keep the critters out, told to me by a good friend from Ipoh who has been hanging out with the orang asli for quite a while now. Watch this space.

Last word... An earlier posting on 28 Feb showed the vivid orange flowers of the Firmiana malayana. Now a little over 3 weeks later, here is how the tree looks like...

Grape-like Figs...

A keystone species, the Fig tree, Ficus, plays a crucial role in supporting the delicate ecosystem within the forest. There are more than 1000 species in the world and Malaysia hosts about 100 of them. The Fig tree are found from lowlands to mountains.

At Tanarimba , we can easily spot quite a few of them. And it is this tree that provides daily meals to the wasps, gibbons and hornbills. So, my neighbours, if you have one on your lot, try to keep it...please.

The reason why it is call a "keystone" species? Well think of it this way, without it the rainforest's ecosystem will be badly disrupted. Like a car without the pistons, like your phone without the batteries, like a guitar without the strings, like Tanarimba without the gibbons and the hornbills ....the rainforest would just not work properly.

Spotted this one along the main road today, I think it is the Ficus schwarzii, with figs the size of medium grapes and hanging from twigs borne out of the main trunk... magnificient!

(Thank you! EJH Corner, for your "Wayside Trees of Malaya" where some of the intelligent text comes from)

Sounds like Macarena..

Is this the Macaranga or the Mallotus?

The Macaranga is a common tree found in disturbed forests areas. You'll spot it along the roads and many 'open' areas in Tanarimba. There are about 27 species of this tree in Malaysia and commonly known as Mahang in Malay.

One noticeable feature of this tree is the large sized heart-shaped leaves (smaller in adult trees).

Some species are ant-plants, basically with twigs becoming hosts to ants and other insects.

The Macaranga has tiny flowers, male and female on different trees. They are quick growing, evergreen and soft-wooded and will grow to about 70 feet.

The Mallotus is very alike the Macaranga except that it doesn't have gum in this bark. The main feature of the Mallotus is where the leaves have whitish undersides. As the wind sweeps through, this tree gives a contrasting two-toned look. The Mallotus is never ant-inhabited.

And then there is this interesting tree (pix below). Identification yet to be confirmed -but I think it is the Firmiana malayana. - Bullock's Eyes or Mata Lembu! It flowers twice a year in these parts... around February and July or August. And when it does, it usually drops all its leaves, leaving the tree with only the vivid orange flowers..... beautiful... Up to 70 feet in height and often grows at river banks.

(quoted from EJH Corner's Wayside Trees of Malaya)

Our gardens...please don't leave them empty!

At first, it was all covered with trees, bamboo, lalang, undergrowth and other plants which we think is of no use. Who knows what lurks beneath the vegetation - snakes? leeches? And so, we build our house at one corner and grass-up the rest of the land. OK, we must have a bit of shade, so we plant a few trees here and there, those with nice coloured leaves - looks unusual. The kids can roam freely without risk of being bitten by some unidentified critter. The gardener should have an easier time. But - what happened to the Jungle look? The look that is so unique to Tanarimba? Well, the next lot has not been touched so I get the jungle look courtesy of my neighbours.

Really, if that is what we have in mind then I think we have misunderstood the concept of Tanarimba completely.

Of course, it is sometimes inevitable that some trees will have to go because they were in the way of the road or it was old and there is the imminent danger of it toppling over and on top of the roof. But I think we should take every effort to replant the land with local indigenous rainforest trees - not the ornamental imported from China with purple coloured leaves that no one has ever seen before type of trees, mind you. I think we owe it to ourselves and our neighbours to retain as much as possible the original look and feel of the place. Like what this neighbour on the right has done - "about 500 new tree saplings in the ground to-date"

And so with the right look, our property blends in nicely, maintains the special-ness of Tanarimba... so please don't leave your garden empty... You with me on this?

Bukit Antarabangsa - Will it happen here?

It does raise some questions, doesn't it?...Like, am I safe here in Tanarimba? Can the same thing occur here in Tanarimba? Will my house that's sitting pretty on a slope be at risk too?

Let's face the facts - As long as we have a human built structure on a slope - anywhere in the world - we are at risk. Fact. That risk increases when we are in a location that receives rain as much as we do here in this country. Fact. And it is also a fact that that risk can be addressed and reduced.

So, we need to be realistic about these facts and not fool ourselves by saying things like - well it has never happened here before? or the ground that we stand on is "different" from the type found in Bukit Antarabangsa (partly true, but...).

Being realistic, I believe, means we need to be careful and mindful of what must and should be done, for example:-

1. Let's remind ourselves with the concept and philosophy of Tanarimba. Let's embrace the natural surroundings with utmost respect.
2. Let's keep to the agreed restriction of only building on 20% of our land and leave the rest green- rainforest green, not grassy green.
3. Let's plant 10 tree seedlings for every mature tree we had to fell because it was in the way.
4. Let's choose the plants and trees that we want to plant on our land carefully to maintain the natural biodiversity.
5. Let's pay attention to the slopes and monitor them periodically, ourselves or with expert help.
6. Let's educate ourselves with the right things to do when constructing our houses - minimal impact on the environment.

I'm not an expert on slopes and therefore cannot offer any expert advice other than those out of common sense. I was a Zooview resident not too long ago though and had close-to-first hand experience of a landslide that took a few lives and the frustration of having to deal with the authorities.

Prayers go out to the people of Bukit Antarabangsa and everyone else who has to live with sleepless nights....

What sort of plants should I cultivate?

Tanarimba is unique to me because of its undisturbed natural surroundings. It's not "man-made". To maintain its uniqueness, we ask ourselves - what sort of plants should I put into the ground in my home here in Tanarimba?.

To me, the headline answer is simple - plants that would fit right in with the natural setting of Tanarimba. Plants that would not disturb the natural balance in the ecology and biodiversity of the place and better still, plants that will add to the biodiversity. Conversely, I think we should try to avoid plants that would disturb that balance.

Such plants would be those that are introduced or those that are not indigenous (not occurring naturally in our rainforest), the so-called foreign species. Worst still are those foreign species that are invasive or have the propensity to takeover and push out the naturally occuring species.

Unfortunately, some of these plants are hugely popular because they are commonly found in nurseries and thus inadvertently assumed to be "local". Like the beautiful hellaconia, the ubiquitous bougainvillea and even the delicious mango tree. Some of these plants, like the hellaconia can spread quickly and will push out naturally occurring local species.

Yes, the earlier phase of Tanarimba already has foreign pine trees growing magnificently, giving the place a highland feel. So what's wrong with that?- you may ask. Well, what's done is done, but for the remaining area, don't you think it will be nicer to retain the existing tropical rainforest setting?

Of Figs and key stone species

The Fig tree (genus, ficus) is considered a key stone species. What this means is that this type of tree is an integral part of the ecology where it is naturally found. If it goes, then the eco-system will be at risk and the balance will inevitably be affected. The Ficus group comprises several species and the most spectacular one would be the strangling fig. You'll easily spot a few in Tanarimba. One of which sits comfortably in the workshop compound along the main road into Tanarimba, about 2.5 km from the visitors centre.

The strangling fig normally begins life on other trees. Spread by birds and, squirrels or monkeys that eat the figs and drop them on the branches, they will eventually grow roots that 'crawl' downwards, interlacing its way down and practically strangle the host tree. Eventually, the host tree will die and rot away, leaving a cavity with only the inter-laced roots of the fig which would now have become a tree of its own with some interesting trunk designs (see pic).

The hornbills love the figs and the health of a forest is often represented by the number of fig tress found in the forest. Besides the hornbills, many other mammals and insects depend on the figs, hence it being a keystone species.

By the way, humans are NOT a key stone species.

How do you keep the wild boars out?

Just recently, I heard this question indirectly and not the first of the sort too. I was told also that some new residents have asked about the snakes, the monkeys, the bird shit that stains the windows and other wildlife hazards that one would encounter staying here in Tanarimba. How do we keep them out?!

The answer is quite simply you can't and shouldn't. Just live with them. You can't have the view and everything else that Tanarimba represents without those 'hazards'. They are part of the package. Take one out and we'll have an adverse end-of-the-world type chain reaction and there goes Tanarimba.

It is not so bad really because that's what staying here means. We are the guests and the 'hazards' are welcoming us, hence we should be like any courteous guest and not shoo off the hosts.

The general rule is they won't bother us if we give them their space and not bother them too much. Yes, they may come by, mess up your windows, disturb your dogs, might even swallow a pet chicken or two, but hey, let us not forget that we are after all in the rainforest!

I think in the end, it is a matter of appreciating the surroundings, the animals, insects and the occasional nuisance with humour and humility. It should work... otherwise I can recommend an alternative, more 'suitable' place to move out to - Damansara Heights.

True Effort

Was at Tanarimba last weekend and stopped by the lovely Balinese house somewhere along the main road that is being painstakingly built - you won't miss it - the majestic roof structures are great first impressions. And towards the back is that naturally occuring wall of green. Matured trees, some fruiting, greets the line of sight. The stream somewhere below lends a pleasant soundtrack to an already calm view. Leaf birds and black-capped bulbuls danced around the branches. I didn't have to crank my neck nor use my binoculars. Yes they were that close. The owner had said that he tried to maintain all the trees on the land and indeed he has done a good job at that.

To cap it off, 2 rhinoceros hornbills flew past overhead. At the same time, the screeching call of a gliding cresent serpent eagle resonated in the air. The two landed on a tree across the road for a couple of minutes before setting off again.

Ahh.... the spirit renewed once again.

To share your thoughts, just send me an email. Would appreciate if you can indicate your lot number, your name and a pseudonym if you so wish and i will just add you onto the next posting.

Keeping the natural undergrowth

For a start, i think the undergrowth as a vital component of the whole eco-system should be maintained in its natural state as much as possible... Without the natural undergrowth, Tanarimba will just be another Lake Gardens, just a garden. The undergrowth sustains life at the lower levels of the rainforest, which then feeds the needs of life higher up the food chain, the birds like the hornbills and the raptors, until the primates like the gibbons and the dusky leaf monkeys. Of course along with those lovable creatures, we have the less lovable ones (depending on who we ask) like snakes, mosquitoes and leeches. These creatures and insects are naturally part of the jungle. They come as a package and they should be accepted as such. There are ways of course to distance ourselves from them without having to wipe them and their ecosystem out..
And if you have any experience in this area, let's share...

Setting up Home

Tanarimba is our escape to paradise. Leaving behind the city trappings which are so wasteful to the soul, Tanarimba will be our true home. Therefore, the most important thing about Tanarimba to us is that the place must be set up right. No so much our house which has yet to be built, but the surroundings which makes Tanarimba special. I'm sure you, our present and future neighbours, feel the same way too. That spell that was cast upon us the first time we strolled into Tanarimba we hope will remain with us for a very long time. That spell to me would be the verdant surroundings, the thick rainforest, the sounds of the gibbons in the morning, the rhythmic sounds of the insects, the occasional bite of a leech. That whole ecosystem which is so well represented in Tanarimba.

So how do we keep Tanarimba as natural as possible? Let's share