Negalitres – Penang National Park Water & River Activity

Negalitres – Penang National Park Water & River Activity

29th May 2010

BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs) PROJECT

Water Demand Reduction (NEGA-LITRES) Demonstration Project at N-Park Condominium and Creation of a ”Water Valuing” Community Network in Malaysia

ACTIVITY REPORT 

1. Project Activity: Water Watch Penang/DID Penang River Awareness Programme for Schools in Penang
2. Objective/ Purpose:  (a) To create awareness among secondary school students in the river awareness programme. (b) To learn about physical and biological properties of a healthy river.
3. Time: 9.00am to 3.30pm     Venue: Sungai Tukun at Penang National Park     Date: 29th of May 2010 
4. Target Groups & Attendances: Secondary School Students and Teachers from SMK Haji Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and SMK Kepala Batas.
5. Activity Program 8.30am: Arrival of students9.00am: Short Briefing by the Penang National Park Ranger 10.00am: Commencement of River Monitoring Activity at Sungai Tukun11.30am: Hiking activity into the Pantai Kerachut and visiting Meromictic Lake1.30pm: Reach Pantai Kerachut and Lunch Time2.00pm: Visit to the Turtle Conservation Center3.00pm: Back to the main gate by boat.
6. Reports: A group of 40  Form 6 studenst from SMK Haji Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and SMK Kepala Batas led by 4 teachers participated in this River Education Programme. The programme started off with a brief presentation by the ranger of the Penang National Park En Mustaffa. Among the presentation content was the rules and regulation to be obeyed in the National Park, routes available for the hiking spots, general history of the existence of this National Park and the rare flora and fauna found here. Facilitating the group was 8 members from WWP. Among the activities done was river education including biological inspection, chemical inspection and physical inspection. After the brief explanations, students were brought to the river for some insect and aquatic animals catching. Identification of species of insects and aquatic animals present indicates the level of cleanliness in a healthy river. All the insects, small fishes/prawns as well as other small livings caught are released back into the river upon studying it. Next activity was the hiking to the Pantai Kerachut beach. The hiking took approximately 2 hours. On the way to Pantai Kerachut, we stopped by the Meromictic Lake. Upon reaching Keracut Beach, all participants have a short lunch by the scenic view of the beach. The last activity to wrap up the event for the day was visit to the turtle conservation center at the Pantai Kerachut  The program then ends at 3pm with a boat ride back to the Main Entrance of the National Park. Along the way we also manage to inspect the nesting area of eagle.  Ranger of the Penang National Park gave a brief presentation  Physical River Monitoring Activity  Preparation before the hiking to the Pantai Kerachut An officer giving a presentation and briefing about the turtle conservation center.
7. Outputs / Outcome: The students are expected to have gained awareness on the importance of clean river towards providing habitat for the aquatic beings which is part of the forest ecosystem. They are also expected to have gained awareness on the importance of green space (the Penang National Park) as a center for recreation, education and maintenance of the environment.