‘Silent Spring’ in Sabah’s wilderness
Published on: Saturday, September 24, 2016
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WHAT about a dip in seven chlorine-free and natural swimming rock pools, replenished by constant free flowing pristine mountain water?
It started with an idea to turn a crystal clear forest reserve stream into a revenue-generating tourism product.
So, Tawai Rainforest Camp was born, under the charge of District Forestry Officer, Mohd Abu Bakar.
The good word spread.
On Merdeka Day alone, 800 Telupid locals flocked to the pools to enjoy themselves, according to Senior Ranger and plant specialist, Felix Kamoi.
Sabahans miss inspirational clean rivers
It proves one point loud and clear: Sabahans miss their clean rivers which used to be the norm few decades ago, but such immaculate water quality have gone to the dogs since, in most rivers.
The source of this pristine water? A mountainous 22,697ha Tawai Forest Reserve filled with towering hills and slopes, most of which are steeped in gradients exceeding 25 degrees, 15km south of Telupid township.
Forested steep mountains are a superb example of a natural capital – a ‘natural means of production’ which actively and ceaselessly produces clean water as an ecosystem product.
Which contrasts sharply with ‘manufactured means of production’ like water treatment plants which can’t produce clean water without use of chemicals.
Suppose good landscape and river basin governance prevailed across Sabah, forest clad steep hills, wilderness and clean rivers would be the norm, like this example shown here. Sabah would be a great inspiration to all.
The message – ban steep hill deforestation
The message: Sabah is a tangle of mountains. Ban steep hill deforestation.
Then, no matter how steep the gradients, our hills and mountains will still produce clean water.
EPD actually requires EIA on deforestation of any slope greater than 20 degrees.
Since steep hill deforestation is rampant and causes havoc to river quality, the Forestry Department should be given a starting mandate to govern steep slope forests.
Right start, right conclusion
This is the story of Tawai Forest Reserve. It got a right start, so it ends with this inspirational conclusion.
The right start began in 1972, when the then Usno Government first gazetted it.
In 1983, massive forest fires burnt more than one million hectares of forests in Sabah, and destroyed large areas of Tawai Forest Reserve.
Probably because of that, in 1984, the Berjaya Government under then Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Salleh and Environment Minister Datuk Yap Pak Leong regazetted it into a Class 1 Forest.
That gave total protection to Tawai Forest Reserve where not a single tree can be removed without the expressed permission of the Director of Forestry.
Strategic forestry action on ‘Nepenthis Kingdom’
This strategic forestry action over the last 32 years did one thing. It retained the ancient structure and composition of the dominant upland and lowland ultramafic forests that cover most of Tawai Forest Reserve.
Everybody knows pitcher plants somehow thrive in toxic and very nutrient-poor ultramafic soil.
So Tawai Forest Reserve struck me as a “Nepenthes Kingdom”, which teems with beautiful pitcher plants from head to toe of the hills, besides the gushing clean water that drains into two of Sabah’s biggest rivers – Labuk in the north and Kinabatangan in the south.
Rafflesiana upper and Raflesiana lower pitchers; Nepenthes ampularia; Nepenthes gladlis; Nepenthese stanophylla and Nepenthes marabilis are the six known species found here.
Worth noting is N Rafflsiana, which is endemic to Tawai Forest Reserve.
This ubiquitous nepenthes presence has proved an inspirational draw to UK-based members of World Carnivorous Plants Society who made Tawai Forest Reserve their “must visit” destination over the last four to five years, said Tham Yau Kong, Managing Director of TYK Adventure Tours.
“They like it because N rafflesiana is endemic and found only in Tawai Forest reserve,” Tham said.
Entrance fee to see pitcher plant is RM15 per person.
“For me, nepenthes is the major attraction so far. Sometimes we get groups of two, other times, groups of 14,” Tham said.
Passage of 1945 Death March
But of late, it was hailed as a perfect cooling stopover for Death March trekkers.
“One potentially big branding inspiration is the fact that the 1945 Death March track penetrated Bauto and Gambaron and the awesome forests of Bauto and Gambaron are now part of the Tawai Forest Reserve which the trekkers regularly walk thorough and pay RM15 per pax for entering and use of the forests,” Tham noted.
“This is why late June this year, our 14-strong Royal British Engineers stayed two nights at Tawai Forest Reserve during their 270km trek from Sandakan to Ranau.
“They stopped inside the Bauto forests to take a group picture with its big trees and mist filled ambience, before proceeding to Tawai Rainforst Camp.
“Group leader Captain Joshua Wayne said ‘clean and warm’ water of the natural swimming pools made a perfect cooler after a hot day’s walk under the tropical sun,” he said.
Director’s idea vindicated
The Sabah Forestry Department had long known the Tawai Forest Reserve could become a major tourism destination, citing a 100m Tawai waterfall that tumbles down the sheer northern edge, interesting vegetative changes in a five-hour hike up 1,273-metre Mt Tawai peak from the base of Sungei Meliau, ending in spectacular views of the countryside.
Director Datuk Sam Mannan’s idea is to create revenue-generating recreational forest, which started in a modest scale last March.
Construction of the six pools was done while a bigger seventh pool is underway.
Forest trails is another hiking option.
A former office was converted into a basic RM250 per night 40-capacity rest house consisting six rooms, two kitchens, four toilets and four bathrooms.
Booking is full until January 2017, according to Mohd Abu Bakar.
It proves grassroots Sabahans like intact forests and clean rivers and they’d hate to see rivers gone to the dogs.
Inputs from tourism players sought
However, before setting up the Tawai Rainforest Camp, District Forestry Officer Mohd Abu Bakar invited inputs from tourism players.
Tham suggested a tree planting for conservation option at RM10 each and that’s also adopted.
Wildlife wise, a herd of some 30 elephants from Ulu Sapi crossed the Telupid/Sandakan Highway at Bauto into Tawai Forest Reserve two years ago and had stayed put since, Tham noted.
“I have not seen them except their foot prints in Bauto,” he said.
There are also Clouded leopards, barking deers, gibbons, red leaf monkeys, mouse deers, wild boars and wild fowls.
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