Re-making Kinta Valley

IPOH: The Kinta District Structural Plan (1995-2020) recommends that scenic landscapes of former mining lands be conserved to promote the unique identity of Kinta Valley which has become known as the “District of a Thousand Lakes.” 

With its reed-fringed lakes, water plants, sand dunes and grassland backed by limestone hills, these former mining lands are man-made wetlands and habitat to a wide variety of wildlife, especially waterbirds. 

One such wetland is the 900-hectare Kinta Nature Park in Kampung Pisang, Batu Gajah, which is being developed by the state following a Malaysian Nature Society proposal.  

 

PLACID BEAUTY...an observation tower under construction at the Kinta Nature Park.--STARpix by LEW YONG KAN.

About 60% of its surface area consists of mining pools of varying sizes and depths. 

Sungai Sanglop, Sungai Teja and other smaller streams and canals drain the area, flowing south-west into Sungai Kinta. 

Most of the site had been vacated except for some agricultural and mineral extraction activities, including duck and fish farming, vegetable cultivation, cattle rearing, sand extraction and small-scale tin mining. 

The site is already very popular with many recreational anglers, nature photographers as well as birdwatchers. 

Malaysian Nature Society (Perak Branch) Bird Group member Lim Kim Chye said former mining areas were important substitutes for natural freshwater wetlands, which had become rare worldwide. 

“However, these wetlands are now increasingly being lost through conversion for housing, industries and agriculture land. 

“Their fragile ecosystems are also threatened by pollution from illegal dumping of wastes,” he said. 

Lim said the society had forwarded the proposal to the state because it realised the urgent need to protect some of the areas for tourism, conservation, education and for future generations to appreciate. 

He said the park, having been gazetted as a conservation area, would serve to protect the habitat and provide sanctuary for fauna and flora. 

“Of the 129 bird species recorded in the area, at least 70 species are accorded ‘Totally Protected’ status in the Wildlife Act 1972, with the Straw-headed Bulbul accorded ‘Globally Vulnerable’ status,” he said. 

Lim said within the site was a heronry with at least five species of herons making it their home. 

He said it was estimated that more than 2,000 birds used the heronry while a preliminary mammal survey recorded the existence of the Smooth Otter, a Totally Protected animal in the area. 

“Establishment of the park will affirm Malaysia’s Ramsar Convention obligation to create nature reserves in wetlands.  

“Former mining land are synonymous with Perak and is a cultural and historical link to Perak’s past glory as the foremost tin-producing region in the world. 

“The thousands of lakes inter-connected by channels are reservoirs for vital water resources which play an important role in the hydrological stability of the area,” said Lim.  

State Culture, Tourism and Women’s Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Mazidah Zakaria said the state had allocated RM600,000 to build infrastructure which included an observation tower at the park. 

She said there would be zoning at the site for non-intrusive activities, education, research and conservation. 

“The park located within easy reach of several other tourist destinations, supports the ‘packaged tourism products’ policy of Perak to market tourism destinations,” she said. 

Located near the park are the Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort, Kellie’s Castle, the Tin Museum in Chenderong, Gua Tempurung in Gopeng and the historic Batu Gajah town itself. 

Mazidah said the park was easily accessible via the North-South Expressway and the Lumut Highway that connects to Pangkor Island, another tourist haunt. 

The scenic landscape coupled with the rich flora and fauna would surely help the park tap into the growing nature and cultural tourism market and also provide economic benefits to the local community.