“Save Our Shores”, Scouts of The World Voluntary Service - Group

Week 1 Progress Report - Educational Visit to Kuala Gula Mangrove Santuary, , Kuala Muda Tsunami Tragedy Site & Sungai Pinang

WONG KOK NIAN, ONG SHY HANN, ONG KAI XUAN, LEE HOOI HOOI, CHEW KOK RUI, SHARONJIT KAUR MEI SZE A/P MOON SINGH, RASHMINDER KAUR MEI HAN A/P MOON SINGH, TAY CHIH HERN

Scouts of The World Voluntary Service Team - Penang Rover Scouts Secretariat - The Scouts Association of , Penang State

Kuala Muda Pulau Pinang. This place is a small fishing village, Abstract— This week activities are carried out to most of the villagers’ occupation are fishermen. A tsunami identified the important of mangrove forest practically and memorial had built in front of Kuala Muda Police Station. Same to discover the better way of conducting the SW Voluntary to Kuala Muda Pulau Pinang, a tsunami memorial had built Service effectively by visit to the key location and site. near to beach, different with Kuala Muda Pulau Pinang, Kuala Muda, memorial is bigger. Another interesting cultural Index Terms— Kuala Gula, Mangrove, Sea Corrosion, at Kuala Muda is the Whisper Market (Pasar Bisik), where is a Tsunami, Kuala Muda, place of fisherman boats land and dealing for fresh fish, the bidder are bidding by whispering with the dealer. I. INTRODUCTION While for Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau, since year 2000, Kuala Gula is a fishing village located along the coast of the government had replanting and taking care of mangrove forest state, about 50 km northwest of Taiping. It is part of the Matang along the Balik Pulau coastline. When year 2004 Tsunami Mangrove Forest Reserve, consisting of mangrove and mudflat. disaster, these barrier had functioning well to stop the impact of Nearby is Shell Island (Pulau Kelumpang), an island in the tsunami wave. forest reserve, bordered by the River BMI in the southeast, Shell River (Sungai Kelumpang) in the northeast and northwest areas of the western side. Overall Kelumpang Island A. Objective of Activities surrounded by newly formed mudflats where anak-anak Pokok 1. To learn on mangrove conservation effort by Rakan Bakau Api-api (Avicennia spp.) Live on it. These areas are important in Kuala Gula. foraging areas for migratory birds and nesting sites for birds’ 2. To identify the impact to sea corrosion to the shore without resident. mangrove barrier at Tanjung Piandang. 3. To conduct a site visit to Tsunami tragedy site where does Tanjong Piandang is a county located in the northern state of not have natural barrier. , Malaysia. Tanjung Piandang included in Kerian district 4. To conduct a site visit to Tsunami tragedy site where have administration and is one of the districts in the area Kerian, its natural barrier. attractive areas in Tanjong Piandang is Beach Break (Ban 5. To identify the important of mangrove forest in protecting Pecah). shores.

Schedule for Sunday is to visit to Kuala Muda and Sungai Pinang. Both place are the location which suffer from the B. Task of Activities disaster of tsunami on end or year 2004. The purpose to visit to both location is to observe the impact to the shore where with or Saturday (10 January 2015) without the barrier of mangrove forest. All the team member gather at fast food restaurant at Juru Kuala Muda consist of two part and separate by Sungai Muda, before depart. A short discussion and division of task had done where on South is Kuala Muda, Pulau Pinang and at North is is the small group. Kuala Muda, Kedah. The first destination of second day visit is “Save Our Shores”, Scouts of The World Voluntary Service - Penang Group

Team split into two and ride on two car to depart to the first destination which is Kuala Gula. Team member had make a few stop during the journey to visit to the attraction where passed by.

The journey take one and half hour to reach Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary. Team stopped at the mini jetty there to observe the fisherman live with related to the important of mangrove forest on fishery harvest, especially famous crab there. Surveying activity had perform there as well as interview with few Figure 4: Interviewing the former Village Leader, Mr Tan fisherman to understand the important and impact of the mangrove forest to the local fishing community. Team had the honour to interview with Mr. Wahab, the President of the local Mangrove Forest Squad (Rakan Bakau). The Objective of this Mangrove Forest Squad is to protect Mangrove forest in Kuala Gula and giving some training for the local community for helping the mangrove forest planting projects.

Figure 5: Photo with Mr Tan after the interview session

Next stop will be Tanjong Piandang, a place that had been destroyed by the tsunami on year 2004. The purpose to visit to Tanjung Piandang is to observe that area being erode due to that area is not protected by its natural shore barrier. Far to 20 years ago, shore line can be extending to 1km off to current sea. The Figure 1: Interviewing with local people current sea there is paddy field far to 20 years back. Estimated the land sizes which erode are 1.61 hector. Few year back the government had built the man-made sea barrier for about 4km to prevent the shoreline keep erode.

Sunday (1 February 2015)

Schedule for Sunday is to visit to Kuala Muda and Sungai Pinang. SW Voluntary Service team stopped at the square in front of Kuala Muda Mosque and separate into two team to Figure 2: Observing the mangrove eco system at the estuary interview with local residents. According to local residents, the impact of tsunami onto the shore on Pulau Pinang part is less than Kedah Part, residents here only suffer from flooding by sea water into houses. Based on observation on the local shore, if the tsunami wave is coming, due to the shallow sea bed, the potential energy will increase while the wave is near to shore. The Tsunami alarm system also prepared and standby to give warning for likelihood event.

Second stop was made to Kuala Muda, Kedah, both location just opposite the river, but for road transport, need to cross the

Figure 3: Reflection after interview with local people Sungai Muda bridge to the another side. Travel distance from Penang to Kedah’s Kuala Muda take approximately 15minutes. Team also make a visit to the nearest chinese fishing village and have a chance to interview with former Village Leader. An short interview had been conducted with local fisherman According to him, the government effort in conserving of regarding the 2004 tsunami and question about the important of mangrove forest and enforcement had weaken from year to Mangrove Forest. Fishermen had stress that the importance of year. Government roles are very important in ensure the conserving mangrove forest which will also help to increase existing of mangrove forest. their fish catch.

“Save Our Shores”, Scouts of The World Voluntary Service - Penang Group

II. THEORY

Sahabat Hutan Bakau (Friends Mangrove) The Objective is to spread on the importance of involving local communities in mangrove conservation program. Friend’s existence of mangrove forest is also a result of public awareness and concern about the degradation of mangrove forests and their ecosystem. This situation has greatly changed the lifestyle of the locals who were once dependent on Figure 6: Interview with one of the chinese villager at Kuala subsistence activities of mangrove forests such as fishing and Muda, Pulau Pinang collecting the results of mangrove forests for economic purposes. Mangrove forests and a critically endangered ecosystem have affected the locals who depend on these resources.

Pilot Program Friends Mangrove Kuala Gula Friends establishment Mangrove Initiative has received strong support from the local population in Kuala Gula, Perak where mangrove conservation program was initiated by the Global Environment Centre. Among the activities that are currently being implemented by the Mangroves are as follows: -  Collection of mangrove seedlings Figure 7: Group photo in front of Tsunami Memorial, Kuala  Establishment of nurseries Muda, Pulau Pinang  The replanting of mangroves through cooperative activities  Patrolling and monitoring of mangrove plants  Provide training Household Expenses skills with relevant government agencies  The organization of study tours for local communities  Program of environmental education and awareness  Management of tourism activities

Figure 8 & 9: Group photo in front of Tsunami Memorial, Kuala Muda, Kedah, and interview with local fisherman at III. ACTIVITIES RESULT whisper market

Following destination after on Seberang side shall be A. Education area visited Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau. An interview session had conducted with local fishermen to have an idea of what the difficulties they had faced on year 2004 tsunami. Can be conclude that mangrove forest had absorb most of the tsunami wave and local people only affect from the rising tide into their premise.

Figure 10: Photo with fisherman at Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau

Figure 11 – Kuala Gula

“Save Our Shores”, Scouts of The World Voluntary Service - Penang Group

Question 5: Do you agree that the mangrove forest can reduce the damage of the community when Tsunami occurs? Question 6: Do you agree that government should develop more mangrove forest?

According to the above chart, we can concluded that all of the respondents from Kuala Gula agree with questions 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. However, there is a respondent from Kuala Gula disagree with question 4, which is “Do you agree that the mangrove forest can protect the sideline?”

Data Analysis – Respondents From Tanjung Piandang

Figure 12 – Tanjung Piandang The Important of Mangrove Forest 20

15 IV. ANALYSIS 10 5

0 Discussion

FROM FROM Data Analysis – Respondents From Kuala Gula

TANJUNG PIANDANG TANJUNG

RESPONSE OF COMUNITY COMUNITY OF RESPONSE YES NO The Important of Mangrove Forest Chat 2: Tanjung Piandang respondents’ response towards the important of mangrove forest 25 20 According to the above chart, we can concluded that out of 18 15 from 20 (90%) respondents from Tanjung Piandang agree with question 1, 2 and 6. On the other hand, there is out of 17 fro 20 10 5 (85%) %) respondents from Tanjung Piandang agree with question 3 and 5. Besides that, out of 16 from 20 (80%) 0 respondents from Tanjung Piandang agree with question 4.

KUALA GULA KUALA

YES NO RESPONSE OF COMUNITY FROM FROM COMUNITY OF RESPONSE Chat 1: Kuala Gula respondents’ response towards the important of mangrove forest

We decided to randomly pick 20 respondents from Kuala Gula and Tanjung Piandang for this survey. The survey form consists of 6 questions. The following are the questions listed in the survey form: Question 1: Do you agree that mangrove forest is important to mankind? Question 2: Do you agree mangrove tree is a very useful tree? Question 3: Do you agree that the mangrove tree can resist the tides?

Question 4: Do you agree that the mangrove forest can protect the sideline? “Save Our Shores”, Scouts of The World Voluntary Service - Penang Group

Data Analysis – The Comparision Of Respondents From Kuala Gula And Tanjung Piandang

The Important of Mangrove Forest

25 20 15 10 5 0

Community From Kuala Gula

RESPONDENT WHO AGREE WHO RESPONDENT Community From Tanjung Piandang

Chat 3: Kuala Gula and Tanjung Piandang respondents’ response towards the important of mangrove forest

From the chart above, we can concluded that majority respondents from Kuala Gula agree that mangrove forest is very important as compared to the respondents from Tanjung Piandang. There is 20 (100%) respondents from Kuala Gula agree with question 1, 2 and 6 while only 18 (90%) respondents from Tanjung Piandang agree with it. Conversely, there is 20 (100%) respondents from Kuala Gula agree with question 3 and 5 while only 17 (85%) respondents from Tanjung Piandang agree with it. On the contrary, there is 19 (95%) respondents from Kuala Gula agree with question 4 while only 16 (80%) respondents from Tanjung Piandang agree with it.

V. CONCLUSION

1. Effort by Rakan Bakau at Kuala Gula in conserving the mangrove forest had lead a major impact for the team in planning more effective program in the similar program for voluntary service. 2. Mangrove forest serve an important roles in preventing shore corrosion by the sea waves. 3. Mangrove forest also serve as natural barrier to buffer for tsunami wave impact.