EcoCare Goes into the Jungle!

One of my company's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program is EcoCare. EcoCare is focused on mostly on conservation of mangrooves along Sungai Kerteh, Terengganu. However, this year EcoCare team had diversified their focus by inviting the fellow volunteers for a jungle-trekking in Rimba Hutan Bukit Bauk.

Yazid from EcoCare delivering a short briefing to the volunteers

My colleague from Maintenance Department

I arrived at Rimba Hutan Bukit Bauk at around 8:30 AM. After having breakfast, the volunteers gathered at Jabatan Perhutanan Terengganu office in Bukit Bauk. The officers from Forestry Department of Terengganu had delivered a short briefing to all 70 volunteers who were present on that day.

The bosses

En. Manan from Jabatan Perhutanan Terengganu

Some of the volunteers

According to the officer, Bukit Bauk is unique because it is the only place where 'Kapur' trees are abundant. The forest is also home to few endemic species (nearly extinct) such as Mempisang. It is important to preserve the forest to make sure these species will not extinct in the future.

Pokok Kapur, makes up the most of Bukit Bauk Forest Reserve

Pokok Kapur tree trunk

After briefing, we were divided into 5 groups and each group were led by a forest ranger that explained about the trees that are available in the forest.

 

 Nearly extinct Mempisang plant

Lime green mushroom

I have also spotted a green Wagler pit viper or locally known as 'Ular Tapak Gajah'. This is a very poisonous snake, however it is blind during the day and can only sense using thermal detection.

Ular tapak gajah (Tropidolaemus wagleri)

Each group sent one representative to share about what they had learnt from the jungle-trekking activities soon after we complete the walk.

With some of the volunteers after the jungle trekking

 

Then, we were served with lunch provided by EcoCare team. I also took opportunity to taste 'Karas' tea that is made from 'Karas' tree bark. It taste like Chinese tea and is said to have benefit for men's health.

Karas tea

 Karas tea for sale, can be obtained from Forestry Department office

 

A big thank you from EcoCare folks to the guys in Forestry Department!