Star Metro, Wednesday April 25, 2007

By Jayagandi Jayaraj
Photos by Low Lay Phoon

HE may not be able to see the beauty of the trees or the different birds that are part of the Kota Damansara Community Forest in Section 10, petaling Jaya but Godfrey Ooi can feel, touch and hear the wonders of the forest. “Through my senses, I can feel the fresh air, hear the sounds of the birds and insects and feel the different textures of the trees. With a guide, I am also able to learn more about the ecosystem as I listen to what the person is saying,” said Ooi from the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB) during the Earth Day celebration at the community forest on April 22.  

Organised by Friends of Kota Damansara Community Forest, the half-day event gathered hundreds of residents, nature lovers and responsible corporate sponsors to learn more about the environment. Besides MAB, residents from Damai Home for the Handicapped also participated.  Activities included a gotong-royong to clean the areas surrounding the forest and on-stage performances like Ooi playing his guitar.  

The Boys and Girls Brigade teams also conducted a march past after the launch in the morning and guided nature walks by the Malaysian Nature Society were held. There was also a treasure hunt by Universiti Technology Mara students while committee member Jeffrey Phang conducted the nature talk. The talk centred on global warming and its effects to the environment.   The talk also touched on how the local and business community can work together with the government to establish a sustainable development. The challenge is to get the community committed to the idea and through that we can initiate experiential learning activities to create more awareness. “To train the young people to be more responsible, we need to start with children by encouraging them to start caring for the environment,” said Phang.