ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABLE DESIGN [ARC 1413]

Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architecture

Intake: Semester 2, 2014

Project 2: Nature & Us (Individual Essay)

Name: Toh Chee Cheng

Student ID: 0311122

Biodiversity

What is biodiversity? How to define “biodiversity”? What are the importance of biodiversity?

What threatens our biodiversity?

“Biodiversity” is a simplified word from “biological diversity”. Biological diversity is define

as the diversity of an ecosystem, a natural area made up of a community of plants, animals and other

living things in a particular physical and chemical environment. In practice, the experts often suggests

that biodiversity is the sustaining diversity of species in each ecosystem as the human activities that we

planned might affect the use of land and the natural resources. There are many types of biodiversity,

including security, health, fishes, forestry, tourism, ecosystem services, indigenous and biotechnology.

Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter what size they are, all have

an important role to play. For example, a large number of plant species means a greater variety of crops,

greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms. Healthy ecosystems can better

withstand and recover from a variety of disaster. And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need

to preserve the biodiversity in wildlife.

Covering an area of 4,343 square kilometres, Taman Negara was first protected by legislation

in 1925 when 1,300 square kilometres was set aside as Gunung Tahan Game Reserve; thirteen years

later it became the King George V National Park. In 1938 the area was extended to its present size and

renamed Taman Negara. Its stated purpose is the "propogation, protection and preservation of the

indigenous flora and fauna. Taman Negara has a total area of 4,343 km² and has a reputation as the

world's oldest tropical rainforest, estimated to be more than 130 million years old. Since it was opened

to public, it captured a lot of nature loving tourists to reveal mysterious of Tropical rainforest. This is

known as ecotourism. Ecotourism is characterized by ecological and socio-cultural integrity,

responsibility and sustainability (Cater, 3). (Taman Negara, 2014)

However, influx of ecotourism might also

degrade the natural environment such as migration of

animal. Many tourist notice that the migration of large

mammals increasing year by year. Animal tends to

escape and move away from the high density and

noisier area, such as the resort’s area. This has

unbalanced the ecology of the nature. The migration

of large mammals away from the noisier 'Resort' areas

have unbalanced the ecology. When the hoof stock

take refuge deeper in the forest, the tigers will follow, effectively leaving a section of the park in quiet

and practically devoid of wildlife. According to the tour guide, it's quite possible to spend a week in

this park and not see anything more exciting than mosquitos, leeches, and a steaming pile of elephant

dung. But fauna hiding deep in the forest are wild ox, gaur barking deer, mouse, wild pigs, elephants

and variety of them. This will be a vicious circle where can quickly undo all the benefits provided by

Taman Negara areas.

Besides that, letting tourist loose in a delicate ecosystem can lead to pollution and impact on

the environment in unforeseen ways. There are more than 30,000 people each year visiting Taman

Negara on the section of the forest. Moreover, rubbish like cans, bottles and plastic bags has also been

found floating on the river. Pollutions are causes whereby the tourist litters in the Taman Negara and

causes rubbish to be scattered all around the ground. Doubting that what is the effect of the marine

animal ate those plastics? The situation might worsen if the animals ate those uneatable materials

which can destroy the animal health, or even causing death. The biodiversity of the particular area will

Tourists crowded at the Taman Negara Entrance

be changed. The increasing pollution problems increase gradually as the blooming of tourism. (Taman

Negara, 2014)

Other than that, the changing of behaviour in animal also

turns up to be a worrying issues among ecotourism. The animal

like monkeys have become too greedy, I have found that wild

monkeys turned into garbage feeders, becoming familiar with the

presence of ecotourists and eating the food and rubbish left

behind. Wild Boar came to the resort area during dinner time to

search for food. Hotel guest will just left some food for them. I

also noticed that there is a Tapir staying in the resort as it is a pet

of the resort. It is outlier from its contingent. It is outlier, it rather

staying in the resort than be together with its group. It became

lazy day by day and too much depend on the feeding by the resort

workers. These would causes the losing of basic survival skills

in animal as they grow too dependent.

Built environment has the most impact on the

biodiversity of Taman Negara. Because construction involve

excavation of land. National Park contains highly valuable

products such as ratten, jasmine, sandal woods, traditional

herbs and fruits and wildlife which tempt residents to harvest

illegally. Habitat loss and fragmentation is considered by

conservation biologists to be the primary cause of biodiversity

loss. Clearance of native vegetation for agriculture, housing,

timber and industry, as well as draining wetlands and flooding

valleys to form reservoirs, destroys these habitats and all the

organisms in them. In addition, this destruction can cause

remaining habitats to become fragmented and so too small for

some organisms to persist, or fragments may be too far apart

for other organisms to move between. The over exploitation of

the natural resources by human causes massive destruction to

natural ecosystem. The exploitation of food, trees, industry

products and traditional medicine in excess will lead to the

selective removal of an individual species can unbalance

ecosystems and all other organisms within them. Chopping

down of large areas of woodland can influence global warming-animal habitants are destroyed-flooding

and landslides: flash flood become more common after deforestation because there is less interception

and less root uptake and transportation-reduced photosynthesis and rainfall: as more and more trees are

removed the rate of photosynthesis reduces, releasing more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and

contributing to the greenhouse effect-loss of native homes: by clearing rainforests you are obviously

destroying the homes of indigenous group. But also moving close to indigenous groups can spread

disease and alter culture and traditions.

I suggested “back-to-basic” principle in searching a solution for the issues stated above. Create

awareness and education are never to be immortal. People need to be always remind of the importance

of biodiversity and bring up the nature love since they are young. Environmental education programmes

in the education sectors needs to be delivered in schools and tertiary institutions. According to United

Nation Environment Programme (UNEP), there are 30% of the world’s population is under the age of

eighteen. Which is why educating the younger generation about the environmental problems is crucial

for long-term success. A sense of responsibility to the nature and “proactive citizenship” is important

when they grow up. So that they will always make decisions that help the nature rather than harm it.

Integrating environmental education into science subjects would best educate the children and teens

Tapir Sleeping in Resort Area

Built Pedestrian Walkway

about the current and the future environmental issue they would face. They should achieve this by

involve the students with some “ hands-on” learning, such as gardening, trees planting, and caring for

animals. Mainstream environmental issues into school curriculum and school children involved in

environmental education especially at ecologically sensitive areas. (USA Today, 2014)

Raise awareness amongst the general public would

be tough as this involve mind changing process in them.

The urban areas usually working with the media, non-

profit organizations and government agencies to create

awareness and increase education and spreading the news

by use of print, broadcasting and internet media by

highlighting environmental issues.. Some of the

organization like Environmental Non-Government

Organization can also help to spread messages by holding

press briefings and setting up online databases that can

be used as information centers. Information centers

would be useful tools to educate the public about the

environmental concerns, providing accurate information about the environmental issues. Many media

outlets may want to increase their coverage of environmental issues, but don't know where to find

accurate information. Having a central information clearinghouse that is accessible to journalists and

the public can be extremely useful.

The need to educate community group or user by create awareness on sustainable use of

resources and promote voluntary self-help initiatives in the community to reduce dependence on the

resource in use, such as reduce the dependence of using the construction material like replace wood

roof trusses with steel roof trusses. Choose to use items that is recyclable and reusable so that it can cut

down the exploitation of raw material in the nature, in relation to that, the over exploitation of the nature

can be reduce at the same time maintaining biodiversity of the area. Government should always provide

short courses for the government authorities on environmental issues to formulate and implement sound

environment policies to manage natural resources. To make sure the environmentalist always up to

date with the newest method in conserving biodiversity.

Last but not least, humans have come a long way in gaining our independence from the whims

of Mother Nature. Human learned to build shelters and clothes and started to explore the skills and

need to build things in order to make life easier. Human is now able to build hospitals, computers,

automobiles, airplanes and space shuttles by exploiting the nature to get those materials. What about

the flora and fauna in the nature? Are they left to die out? Every creatures of the Mother Nature plays

their own role. In this sense, each part is related. For example, we grow crops through agriculture has

enable the nitrogen present in the soil. This nitrogen nourishes and strengthens our crops. But nitrogen

is actually waste produced by worms, bacteria and other life found within the soil love to decompose

vegetation. This is also how nutrient-rich compost is made. If these bacteria species were killed off,

then our crops would not grow properly. Even some of our own modern advances in technology depend

on nature. Modern medicine owes much to the properties found naturally in plants and bacteria.

Medications like painkillers, penicillin and inoculations are based on natural organisms. The structure

of these living things has been analyzed and synthesized to produce some medications, like antibiotics,

still use the actual organisms. Even if we humans could find a way to overcome a catastrophic loss of

biodiversity, our existence on Earth would certainly be changed. There's a very important economic

aspect to biodiversity as well. In 1997, Cornell University scientists tallied the dollar value of all the

services provided for humanity by life on Earth. Everything from ecotourism and pollination to soil

formation and pharmaceuticals was taken into account. The total for services provided to humanity by

Mother Nature came to $2.9 trillion per year. (Science Daily). As a conclusion, human are given the

power to change the world and shape it to the world they desired. Never forget the importance of

biodiversity when while we are developing. Because we are part of the nature, part of the biodiversity.

Sample Biodiversity Awareness Poster

Bibliography

Biodiversity Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved from International Biodiversity Observation:

https://www.nrel.colostate.edu/projects/iboy/links.html

Naiker, S. (n.d.). Need To Conserve Natural Resources. http://www.taman-negara.com/press11.htm.

Retrieved from http://www.taman-negara.com/press11.htm

Taman Negara. (2014, June 20). Retrieved from Corbetts:

http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger/negara.html

Taman Negara Ranforest and Tourism. (n.d.). Retrieved from TED Case Study:

http://www1.american.edu/ted/malayprk.htm

The Impact of Ecotourism on Costa Rica . (2014, June 23). Retrieved from

http://www.umich.edu/~csfound/545/1998/narayans/chap07.htm

USA Today. (2014, June 17). Retrieved from Positive & Negative Effects of Ecotourism:

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/positive-negative-effects-ecotourism-63682.html