Issues

Development pressure, illegal collection and tourism potential at stake in Fraser’s Hill

Fraser’s Hill has an abundance of fresh water as it is a crucial water catchment area. However, the recently built link road will increase developmental pressure as traffic volume rises and the danger of forest exploitation for other land-use intensifies. Construction of a golf course at the nearby Jeriau Valley, for example, has already raised concerns among botanists of the effect of development that may have caused the loss of rare and endangered species in the immediate vicinity.

There have also been reports of illegal collection of flora and fauna, such as spiders and butterflies, that are in demand by collectors. While collectors wilfully do some of these acts for profit, there are many cases when people do this because of ignorance.

Although tourism is the main revenue generator for this hill resort, over-exploitation of its tourism potential will not benefit Fraser’s Hill in the long-term. In ecotourism, trail maintenance is another issue of concern. With 8 established trails in Fraser’s Hill, the presence of unmarked forest trails without appropriate directional signage causes confusion amongst visitors and has led to incidents of trekkers losing their way in the forest. This lack of interpretive signage also means that opportunities are lost where environmental awareness, appreciation and education are concerned.

Recommendation
Conservation of Fraser’s Hill cannot be achieved without the involvement of the local community and government stakeholders. Thus, they need to be aware of and educated on environmental issues as well as trained on environmental conservation.

Fraser’s Hill Environmentally Sustainable Heritage (FRESH) is a local community group established with the support from WWF-Malaysia to ensure the continuing conservation of Fraser’s Hill, safeguard its rich biodiversity, ecological functions and water resources. Members of FRESH are mainly made up of the local residents who live and work in Fraser’s Hill and who share the passion for conserving the environment.

FRESH works hand-in-hand with WWF-Malaysia to conduct environmental activities related to recycling, composting, water & energy conservation and promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle. We hope that the local community will consciously and constantly practice the “green” lifestyle and in the process help in the conservation of this important hillside station.