We are all connected - people and nature are one
~ People rely on nature to thrive, let’s nurture and use our resources sustainably ~

Petaling Jaya, SELANGOR: Living in urban areas, food and water are easily accessible. There are 24-hour convenience stores, supermarkets, cafes and restaurants, available at any time and in nearly every location. Similarly, when unwell, clinics and pharmacies are just around the corner.

However, those living in remote areas often rely on forests for sustenance and traditional remedies, and clean rivers for their daily needs. The theme of this year’s International Day of Forests, Forests and Food, underscores the importance of maintaining healthy forests to continue supporting the nourishment of people, wildlife, and entire ecosystems.

WWF-Malaysia Conservation Director Dr Henry Chan states that local and indigenous communities in the country depend on forests for their livelihoods through non-timber forest products (NTFP). 

“Forests also ensure rivers, the lifeline of many local and indigenous communities, are healthy so that people can enjoy clean water supply and protein sources i.e. freshwater fish and prawns. Clean water in rivers also ensures paddy fields will be well irrigated and produce healthy rice - not just for communities in rural areas but also urbanites,” he says in a message in conjunction with the coming International Day of Forests (March 21). The message also serves for World Water Day and Earth Hour celebrations that fall on March 22. 

Ulu Muda Forest Complex in Kedah is a prime example of how forests, rivers, and agriculture are interconnected. The vast rainforest of Ulu Muda plays a crucial role in sustaining the Muda River, which through a network of dams, channels water into key rivers and tributaries, including the Kedah River. This essential water source irrigates the Muda Agricultural Authority (MADA) region–Malaysia’s largest rice-growing area– where nearly 40% of the country’s rice supply is cultivated.

Beyond supporting rice production, Ulu Muda is a home to diverse flora that sustains humans and wildlife. The rivers it nourishes provide an important source of freshwater fish to local communities, who also depend on the forest for non-timber forest products (NTFPs) such as wild edible plants, medicinal herbs, and rattan for their daily sustenance and livelihoods.

Additionally, sustainable harvesting of wild honey from the towering tualang trees is also an important livelihood activity in the area. Local communities also rely on the forest for alternative water supplies through the Air Masyarakat initiative, a community water initiative using gravity feed system.

This is quite similar to indigenous communities in Sarawak, where the Lun Bawang in Ba’ Kelalan of the Maligan highlands rely on densely forested mountains and clean rivers to grow their famed fragrant adan rice varieties. In recent years, the communities have taken a step forward to grow their rice using the System of Rice Intensification, a method that is chemical and pesticide free.  

The semi-nomadic Penan gather edible plants such as sago palms to be processed into flour. The flour is cooked using hot water which turns the mixture into a gelatinous food known as na’o,  which is their main staple.   

The Iban communities also depend on the forests for abundance of edible resources such as young sabong leaves (Gnetum gnemon) and midin (Stenochlaena palustris) as vegetables, engkabang (Shorea macrophylla) seeds to be processed into vegan butter, as well as a variety of medicinal plants for minor illnesses.

Indigenous communities in the state also collect NTFPs such as rattan, bamboo and bemban which is a type of reed to weave them into baskets and mats for their daily use. Some weavers also make refined items to be sold as handicrafts as a side income. 

In some of WWF-Malaysia’s project sites in Sarawak such as Ulu Katibas in Song and Ulu Sungai Menyang in Batang Ai, rivers are the communities’ “highways” in the absence of roads, allowing them to reach forests, hunt, forage, and transport food. 

“Many Ibans depend on rivers to reach their farms and transport their harvests to the nearest bazaar or town to sell. Rivers are also a vital source of freshwater and indigenous fish that sustain their livelihoods,” Dr Chan elaborates. 

Similarly, many indigenous communities in Sabah draw on forests and rivers for their daily sustenance, cultural practices, and livelihoods. The Murut in the interior forests of Nabawan forage for wild yam (Dioscorea hispida), tarap fruit (Artocarpus odoratissimus), and tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia) for medicinal use. 

Along riverbanks, communities such as the Tidong in Tawau consume ikan baung (catfish) and udang galah (giant freshwater prawns) as essential protein sources. These rivers provide food and serve as transport highways, allowing communities to reach markets, schools, and healthcare services. These waterways remain critical for sustaining daily life and economic activities in areas without extensive road networks, much like Sarawak.

Dr Chan calls on everyone that as we celebrate the diversity of nature and her many uses, be reminded that forests, water, and energy are not isolated issues — they are part of one intricate web of life that sustains us all.

“Forests give us clean air and regulate rainfall, replenishing rivers and aquifers. Water nourishes forests, feeds communities, and powers life. Energy choices, especially fossil fuels, impact the health of forests and water systems through climate change.

“If we overharvest our forests, we dry up rivers. When we pollute water, we weaken forests. When we burn fossil fuels, we heat the planet, threatening both. These global events are more than just days on a calendar — they are a call to remember that our lives are woven into nature's fabric. What hurts nature, hurts us,” he points out. 

“Let’s conserve and restore degraded forests to secure our water and climate. Conserve and respect water, because every drop counts. Switch off and stand up for nature during Earth Hour, and commit to real action beyond the hour,” he concludes. 
 

ENDS

             

About WWF-Malaysia:
World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) was established in 1972 and is part of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the international conservation organisation. Working to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and nature, WWF-Malaysia’s efforts to conserve nature focus on six major themes: forests, oceans, wildlife, food, climate and energy, as well as freshwater. Our mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

Find our latest news here:
https://www.wwf.org.my/media_and_information/media_centre_and_updates/