Hutan Dalam Bandar, KL Eco Park

KL Eco Park, taman unik di tengah Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur.

KL Eco Park bukanlah satu lokasi baru, ia sebelumnya dikenali sebagai Hutan Simpan Bukit Nanas yang terletak di tengah-tengah Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur. Ia merupakan kawasan yang dikhaskan sebagai hutan simpan semenjak 1906 lagi. Lokasinya berhampiran Menara Kuala Lumpur menambahkan lagi keunikan kedua-dua lokasi penting ini dan memudahkan lawatan daripada para pengunjung.

KL Eco Park mempunyai tarikan tersendiri bagi para pelawat dengan menyediakan laluan-laluan khas seperti Laluan Merbau (360m), Laluan Jelutong (300m) dan Laluan Kanopi (200m) dengan ketinggian 21 meter di atas pokok. Ia merupakan antara tarikan yang membantu para pengunjung untuk mengenali hutan tropika dengan lebih dekat.

Gerbang di KL Eco Park. 

Dahulunya dikenali sebagai Hutan Simpan Bukit Nanas.

Antara laluan di KL Eco Park.

Secara keseluruhannya terdapat sekitar 233 spesis pokok dan 12 spesis haiwan yang menjadikan KL Eco Park sebagai habitat mereka. Manakala spesis haiwan-haiwan tersebut tidak termasuk burung-burung yang kebiasaannya dilihat melewati taman ini pada masa-masa tertentu.

Walaupun bayaran masuk ke taman ini adalah PERCUMA, cadangan untuk mengenakan bayaran kepada para pengunjung untuk masa akan datang telahpun disuarakan. Bayaran yang dikenakan adalan untuk membantu kerja-kerja penyelenggaraan dilakukan dengan lebih kerap dalam memastikan kemudahan taman berada dalam keadaan yang baik. Harga tiket yang dicadangkan adalah RM12 bagi dewasa dan RM4 bagi kanak-kanak. Manakala tiket bagi pelancong pula adalah RM40 dewasa dan RM18 bagi kanak-kanak.

Titian 'Canopy Walk'.

Melalui laluan 'Canopy Walk'.

Berlatar belakangkan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur.

Laluan ke 'Canopy Walk'.

Sekiranya anda berminat untuk melihat lebih lanjut keunikan KL Eco Park bolehkah mengunjungi taman ini dengan segera sementara ianya masih lagi percuma. Bayaran tiket masuk tersebut tidaklah terlalu tinggi sekiranya taman ini dapat mengekalkan kemudahan yang baik dan juga pengurusan yang efektif.

Waktu lawatan adalah di antara 7:00 am hinggalah 6:00 pm setiap hari.

Untuk maklumat lanjut, anda bolehlah menghubungi:

Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia Headquarters,

Jalan Sultan Salahuddin, 50660 Kuala Lumpur.

Phone No: +603-2070 6342

Fax No: 603-2692 5657

Hotline : 1-800-88-5776

Email : webmaster@forestry.gov.my

website: www.forestry.gov.my

Interesting Things About Moringa Oleifera

Moringa oleifera - flowers and leaves.

Moringa oleifera, better known as "murungai" in Malayalam language in which it grows is another plant that is an important food source to local communities. Although it is more popular among the people of India, but if you recognize it, you may also be interested to try the vegetables of leaf or its fruit.

Also known as “Kelo Beans” it has different names on wherever it grows as it is an important food source. So it has more than 400 names throughout the world. The point that is easily cultivated and weather resistance makes it suitable as a plant either for decorative purposes, or simply shading or avoidance of erosion. However, moringa oleifera grown in areas where people in needs of food source for the healthy benefits, and indeed this plant has properties that are very much needed.

Areas where moriga grow.

It can be grown to form a fence around the house.

Roughly the nutritional values of these plants as food sources are as follows;

• It contains 7 times more Vitamin C than an orange.
• It contains 4 times more vitamin A than carrots (carrots).
• It contains 4 times more calcium than cow's milk.
• It contains 3 times more potassium than bananas.
• It contains 2 times the protein than yogurt.

Of course it also contains more nutrients for health benefits. Although it is not considered as a 'magic' plant, but as a source of food in areas where it is grown, it’s able to supply the nourishment requires.

The trees size are not too big that make it easy to care.

Beans of moringa sold in the market.

Moringa beans, close-up.

The parts of this plant are used as feed leaves and fruit. Each community has their methods of preparing food from the leaves and the fruit. For example in India it is used in curries as bean ‘dal’, or as part of mixed together with ‘dal’. In Myanmar also it is used in cooking the gravy like soup known as "dunt-Dalun chin-Yei", using the fruit. The fruit is also popular as food in other countries such as Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Cambodia. Even in other countries it is also used as food.

In addition to the food, the fruit is also used to produce oil known as "ben oil", which was once used as a base in the perfume manufacture process. This oil is used not only because it does not have a strong odor, but can be stored for a long period.

Moringa seed cake, a byproduct from the extraction of this fruit can still be used for purposes other than treating the water or fertilizer. Husks from the seeds helped impurities in the water to clump together and facilitate the screening process or in the form of sludge.

Dishes "dunt-Dalun chin-Yei" of Myanmar.

Another dishes used the leaves of moringa.

The trees also sometimes planted for avoiding erosion like in Haiti. While in Taiwan it's also grown in the World Vegetable Center, as the study of the plants used for food. While the population in Odisha in South India, this plant is grown as fence, while also providing a source of food.

So now we know how special this plant is. If you have a house that can still be planted with trees, maybe you can plant it with these trees. This is because there are many other advantages of this tree that cannot be listed here. So if you are interested more about it, you can find out for yourself through the internet, or you can ask any questions for discussion in the next articles.

Visiting to Kuala Lumpur Bird Park

The main entrance to Kuala Lumpur Bird Park.

Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is very interesting, because not only is the Kuala Lumpur city center filled with buildings and shopping centers, but it also provides many interesting tourist destination. During the school holidays, many may want to bring their family visits to places of interest around the city of Kuala Lumpur.

For those who live near or travel to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is one of the must-visit destinations. Located in Taman Tasik Perdana, it is also close to many other parks like Taman Orkid, Taman Bunga Raya, Butterfly Park, National Planetarium, the Islamic Arts Museum, Deer Park and Memorial Tun Razak. So if you want to visit this place you may visit more than one park at the same time - it saves time and travel costs.

The park is easily accessible using your own vehicle or by public transport. Situated close to the Kuala Lumpur railway station and you just have to take a taxi with approximately 5 minutes. Similarly, a driver for routes around the Lake Gardens is not as busy as in other major routes. GPS location of the park is N3 08 581, 41 294 E101 to assist your navigation.

Open daily from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. The fees are;

Adult (Regular) RM48.00

* Children (Regular) RM38.00

Adults (MyKad) RM 25.00

* Children (MyKid) RM 12.00

** Children from 3-12 years of age

Cute birds enjoying sunflower's seeds.

One of the landscape at the Bird Park.

The best thing about this bird park is that it is said to be among the largest in the world. Divided into different zones, Zone 1 and Zone 2 (Zone 3 is the hornbill cages and Zone 4 for few other small cages) you will see varieties of birds fly freely around the park designed to resemble their natural habitats.

There are also small cages which housed birds such as parrots, eagles, hornbills and others to enable you to see it up close. This is because it is difficult for you to see these birds if they are allowed to fly free in the main cage that is too large.

Through visiting this place you can see rare birds that you discover as you also learn more about their habitat and how they live. The surrounding that resembles their real habitat can be another important thing to take note on how these birds survive in the wild.

Special cage for parrots.

Want to have a picture with the birds?

If you are lucky you might catch a peacock showcasing its beautiful tail’s feathers. Peacocks are moving freely in the garden and their feathers also look healthy (not damaged by captivity). Similarly for other birds such as flamingos that manly spends their time in the artificial pond. Crown pigeons are among many other birds that roaming the park.

Apart from seeing these birds you also have the opportunity to take pictures with the birds that are specially trained to pose for picture. It consists of parrots, eagles, owls and the most special is the hornbill. Yes, I've had the opportunity to touch the hornbill and it's very docile.

Time to eat! You can watch this too.

There is lots of information signage that describes the names of birds that you can find around the area. So you need not to worry if you can recognize their names. There are also exciting activities around the garden and the learning that help kids learn more about the world of birds. So this park is ideal for birders and also for the whole family.

To fully enjoy the experience here, you have to spend at least half day for an area of ​​the park is ​​20.9 acres and filled with areas that resembles different habitats of birds. There are approximately 3,000 birds from 200 species from different part of the world.

For more information about Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, you may call: + 603-22721010 Fax: + 603-2273 5428 or email: info@klbirdpark.com

Historic building, Malayan Railway Station

The uniqueness of the architecture on Kuala Lumpur Railway Station.

Malayan Railway Station’s building is one of the historic buildings in Kuala Lumpur, which is still used to this day. Built in 1910 has unique architectural features as well as other buildings built during the same time such as Sultan Abdul Samad Building. For this station Arthur Benison Hubback maintaining the Mughal architecture application in his design.

It costs RM23,000 and began operations on 1 August 1910. The station later became the main station with the demolition of the Resident Station and also the isolation of the Sultan Street’s Station. The building also includes a hotel, Station Hotel (now known as Heritage Station Hotel). The station is still operating despite Kuala Lumpur's main station has been moved to KL Sentral.

Main part of the building built over 100 years old.

KTM Administration Building, which is also very unique.

Even though it has spanned over a hundred years, the station continues to be upgraded to enable it to continue to provide services to the users of railway transport. Commuter Train services were first introduced at this station in 1995 with two main lines of Rawang - Seremban Line and Sentul - Port Klang Line.

To this day, this historic building is yet to be visited by the public and tourists not only because of its functions but also because of its unique architecture. It is one of the popular pictorial locations around Kuala Lumpur on par with other locations in the surrounding attractions such as Masjid Negara, Islamic Arts Museum and other places in Taman Tasik Perdana area.

Commuter rail service is also available at the station.

An improved platform for current demand.

Kuala Lumpur Station, past and present.

Bangunan Bersejarah, Stesen Keretapi Tanah Melayu

Keunikan senibina pada Stesen Keretapi Kuala Lumpur.

Bangunan Stesen Keretapi Tanah Melayu merupakan salah satu bangunan bersejarah di Kuala Lumpur yang masih lagi digunakan sehingga ke hari ini. Bangunan yang didirkan pada tahun 1910 ini mempunyai ciri-ciri senibina unik seperti juga bangunan-bangunan lain yang dibina pada masa tersebut seperti Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad. Bagi Stesen ini Arthur Benison Hubback mengekalkan senibina Mughal yang diapplikasikan pada masa tersebut.

Ia menelan belanja RM23,000 dan mula beroperasi pada 1 Ogos 1910. Stesen ini kemudiannya menjadi stesen utama dengan perobohan Stesen Residen dan juga pengasingan Stesen Jalan Sultan. Bangunan ini turut merangkumi sebuah hotel iaitu Hotel Stesen (kini Hotel Stesen Warisan). Stesen ini masih lagi beroperasi walaupun stesen utama Kuala Lumpur telahpun berpindah ke KL Sentral.

Bangunan Utama Stesen yang berumur lebih 100 tahun.

Bangunan Pentadbiran KTM, yang juga amat unik.

Disebalik usinya yang telah menjangkau lebih seratus tahun, stesen ini terus dinaiktaraf bagi membolehkan ia terus memberikan khidmat kepada para pengguna pengangkutan keretapi. Perkhidmatan keretapi komputer mula diperkenalkan di stesen ini pada tahun 1995 dengan dua laluan utama iaitu Laluan Rawang – Seremban dan juga Laluan Sentul – Pelabuhan Klang.

Sehingga ke hari ini bangunan bersejarah ini masih lagi menjadi kunjungan orang ramai dan pelancong buka sahaja kerana fungsinya malah kerana senibina uniknya. Ia merupakan antara lokasi bergambar yang popular di sekitar Kuala Lumpur setanding dengan lokasi-lokasi tarikan lain di sekitarnya seperti Masjid Negara, Muzium Kesenian Islam dan tempat-tempat menarik lain yang terdapat di Taman Tasik Perdana.

Perkhidmatan keretapi komuter juga terdapat di stesen ini.

Platform yang diperbaiki untuk kegunaan semasa.

Stesen Kuala Lumpur dahulu dan sekarang.