The best of nature is at our
doorstep—we just need a bit of expert guidance to discover the treasure trove
of unique flora and fauna found in the pristine forests of Genting Highlands.
Straggling oak trees, exotic
hornbills and rehabilitated pitcher plants are among the wondrous sights that
await discovery, and at Resorts World Genting, Treks Nature Enterprise has made
it its mission to demystify nature—by also using social media and digital
technologies.
Yes, nature meets technology is
the order of the day at the resort—a project dubbed Fashion Forest by the good
people behind Treks who proclaim that “an alliance of rainforests waits to be
discovered.”
Their answer: A whole range of
programmes that would introduce you to the natural features tucked away in Genting
Highlands. Essentially, those who participate in the programmes get to learn
about nature and mindfully capture it in social media in order to create awareness
of the need to conserve it.
Dato' Edward Holloway, Senior
Vice President of Resorts World Genting said, ‘Awana offers a 130 millionth
year old jungle with very rich biodiversity for nature lovers to savour. We are
now working with Treks Nature Enterprise to bring nature to nature lovers in a
fashionable way, thus the name Fashion Forest is created.’
The focus of Fashion Forest are
the forests in Genting Highlands—located between 3,000 ft and 6,000 ft above
sea level. There are three forest types Treks refers to as “alliance of
rainforests.” These are divided into four groups, namely Fashion Forest at
Awana (upper Dipterocarp Forest 3,000 ft above sea level), Slay Forest at Chin
Swee Temple (Montane Oak Forest some 4,500 ft above sea level), Chocolate
Forest (Montane Ericaceous Forest some 6,000 ft above sea level), and Skyride
Forest in Awana.
The rustic realm of the
countryside promises education, fun and adventure whether you are a stressed
out urbanite in need of some downtime or a weekend warrior seeking the
adrenaline rush provided by sports and vigorous outdoor activities. Treks has
programmes for every need—from nature walks for the whole family to
sports-oriented teambuilding programmes for corporations and organisations.
The name “Fashion Forest” calls
to mind supermodels and catwalks—and, well, it is meant to. Participants are
encouraged to dress in their best as they commune with nature. Describing it as
“a new paradigm in nature walks,” Treks says it has re-invented the way to
explore nature through a concept called Eco Chic—where you “dress up and walk
with attitude and with that wow factor.”
This is said to be important in
order for you to get passionate about nature and share your experiences through
social media.
Certainly all the programmes
offered are therapeutic as participants will learn to count their blessings by
appreciating the “simpler” things in life—things people do not ordinarily
notice like a dead tree trunk or a forest herb, says Treks. The organisation
aims to “re-image how art, music, fashion and social media can help us love
nature more spontaneously.”
The intention is to introduce art
forms like painting and sculpting into the forest environment, while at the
same time turning it into a platform for the enjoyment of music. Toward this
end, live performances of musical events are held, and likewise designer
furniture and other fashionable amenities are installed to create an artistic
and creative atmosphere.
In line with this, fashion labels
and popular animated characters from the world of film can be introduced to
spice things up.
An important element to ensure
the success of Fashion Forest is the availability of internet
connectivity—participants can expect to enjoy this free. Technology is utilised to help people “see more, discover
more and enjoy more” through fun and practical ways—via visual aids like the
Natgeo Frame, living sculptures (like trees and plants), Nature Pergolas and
elevated platforms.
Brought to the fore are the many
special trees in the forest that are “animated” to heighten appreciation of
them. At Fashion Forest, trees have personalities—there are the Supermodel
trees, and the Celebri-Trees, among others. Participants are encouraged to help
promote awareness of these trees by discovering and recording them via social
media.
For as little as RM75 per person,
the best of nature can be enjoyed, although generally a full-day walk or nature
tour can cost RM130 per person (or RM120 for children aged 11 and below) for a
minimum group of three persons. Many types of packages are offered by Treks to
cater to various groups including individuals, families and corporations. The
packages are all priced differently.
It is a programme that is bound to
satisfy every kind of pleasure-seeker there is but those wanting to focus on
the environment may just opt for the Fashion Forest Green Campaign that
incorporates technology in its line-up of competitions and games. The Mountain
Man Challenge, on the other hand, is for those seeking to indulge in sports and
physically-challenging recreational activities.
For corporations, there are the
Corporate Bonding Activities in store. These would include teambuilding
activities like the REEL simulator—an action learning programme based on
popular movies—contemporary simulation games, treasure hunt, and Fashion
Forest's own Amazing Race!
For children, the Fashion Forest
Summer Camp packages are education, adventure and fun rolled into one. The main
concept of the camp is to immerse children in multi-disciplinary programmes
filled with challenging recreational activities that will help them acquire the
right disciplines. Among others, they learn about camping, nature and
conservation, and they get to indulge in sports like archery and rock-climbing.
Other interesting programmes to pursue at Fashion Forest are the Art, Music
& Nature Festival, and the Sax & Jazz Art Club.
Wandering around the countryside
can be a hugely exciting adventure, especially when you have an agenda. And at
Fashion Forest, you will be armed with a programme—the one you opt for.
Treks Nature Enterprise, based at
Awana and the English Garden in Theme Park Hotel, is a consultancy that designs
nature activities for everyone. At the helm are Eddie Chan and Pat Ang who
ensure there is a programme for every need.
The “stars” awaiting discovery,
of course, are the flora and fauna in Genting Highlands—and there are many of
them. Most notable are the Montane-Ericaceous forest located above 1,500 metres
altitude and the Hill Dipterocarp forest, the most extensive forest type in the
country that exists at between 300 and 700 metres altitude.
The Montane-Ericaceous forest is
especially fascinating, with trees that are generally smaller in size and are
gnarled and stunted. Bamboos, ferns and mosses are also main residents here.
According to Treks, these forests
are unique for many reasons including their bio-diversity that is intact and
abundant, and the fact that they enjoy protection from public abuse, being part
of Genting Highlands. Accessibility and the short distance between the forests
and Kuala Lumpur are other interesting factors.
And apart from programmes
offering nature walks and recreational outdoor activities, Treks offers some
unique programmes like Discover the Elusive Helmeted Hornbill, where you can
find out more about the four species of hornbills that call the area home—the
other three being the Rhinoceros Hornbill, the Great Hornbill and the Bushy
Crested Hornbill. This particular programme is priced at RM250 per person for a
minimum group of four persons.
Other programmes worth pursuing:
Discover the Elusive Black Gibbons, Discover Birding, and Enjoying Herping
Searching. Discover Birding sees avid bird watcher Henry Goh sharing his
knowledge of the endemic birds and migratory birds that are found in the Awana
area.
Goh is the incumbent President of
the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) and chairman of the Selangor branch of MNS.
The society is the oldest and largest local conservation NGO, having celebrated
its 75th anniversary in 2015. With his expertise, he'd be able to share interesting
knowledge with those hoping to learn more about avian life forms.
Goh has a vast collection of
photos to show for his numerous sojourns into the great outdoors. His photos
have, in fact, been featured in numerous books on nature and wildlife.
Enjoying Herping Searching means
searching for amphibians and reptiles—not a vocation for the faint-hearted!
This programme is conducted at night by Steven Wong, the head coordinator of
the Herpetofauna Special Interest Group of the MNS (Selangor branch). Night
walks are his forte and he is only too keen to introduce people to the world of
reptiles, amphibians and other nocturnal creatures.
Wong, who acquired an interest in
herpetofauna at an early age after watching Crocodile Hunter, aims to dispel
the negative stigma that is attached to reptiles and amphibians by educating
the public about them. Through his night walks, he hopes to enlighten people
about these misunderstood creatures so they are able to better appreciate them.
No less interesting are the
pitcher plants found in Genting Highlands—the main conservation project of
Treks. This involves rescuing pitcher plants from roadsides, hill slopes and
pieces of land earmarked for development.
The pitcher plants are
rehabilitated and are available for public viewing at the Treks Nepenthes
Conservation & Display Wall at the English Garden in Theme Park Hotel (and
also the Treks outlet in Awana). If you are keen to know more about these
wonderful plants, the man to talk to is Mohd Fauzi bin Abu Bakar who has been
growing pitcher plants since 2002.
Fauzie graduated from Universiti
Putra Malaysia with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry. He designed and built
Taman Nepenthes Kledang Saiong for the Perak State Forestry Department in 2013
and is on their Panel of Advisory for Nepenthes. He has also featured as a
speaker at the Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 2010.
As for the main people behind
Treks, Eddie Chan and Pat Ang themselves, their passion for nature stems from
the fact that they believe it can inspire people in many ways. Chan and Ang created a concept trail where
nature stories abound in order to help people discover more about themselves.
They see themselves as unison
builders who help people achieve “unity of mind, vision and effort.” Their
activities are hence filled with self and team-discovery opportunities that
stimulate people and help them develop as individuals.
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