Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve - Tinnitus

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The latest trip to Ayer Hitan Forest Reserve in Puchong is my first hiking trip this year.  Since the slip disc incidence in Sg Chilling, I switched back my weekend exercise to brisk walking and swimming.  I enjoy swimming as it helps  to strengthen my back.  In fact when I go to the gym these days, I don't miss doing the physio routines that I learned from the physio team in Subang Jaya Medical Centre.   Thank God, I am in much better condition now.  However, I don't think I am ready for major hiking trip! 

Now, I added another health condition to my present state.   The medical condition is called tinnitus, the perception of sound within the human ear in the absence of corresponding external sound or in short a ringing or similar sensation of sound in the ears!  I always hear hissing, buzzing and whistling sounds in my left ear.  It made feel imbalanced and caused me to have headache.   Since that incidence I have been on MC for 4 days.  

What I learned from this trip, the noises from the jungle help to neutralize whatever sounds that I had in my left ear.    I felt so relaxed and the buzzing and hissing sound were gone temporarily.  As of today, the sounds were still there and I really hope it's not permanent.  In the meantime, I always put on my earphone to listen to nature sounds to help me neutralize the cricket's sounds in my left ear! 

Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve - The Trip

As planned, we went for jungle trekking at Ayer hitam Forest Reserve yesterday.  There were ten of us including John.  Missing was Azinda, who really wanted to join but was sick on that day!  Perhaps next time! 

We met at Giant Bandar Puteri at around 7.45am.  When I reached there, the early birds were already chirping away and having their worms!  We had to wait for others but not long as the last car came in soon after that.  We drove in convoy to Taman Wawasan,a 7 minutes drive away.

We started trekking at 7.50am and reached the first checkpoint 30 minutes later.  There were 10 of us and I guessed they were very fit, when we reached the first checkpoint, they were not there, very much ahead of us! By the time we reached the 2nd checkpoint, we had trekked for more than 1.5hours. 

At the second checkpoint, we had to decide whether to go to the pool that was 45 minutes away or to complete the round trip back to the starting point.  We decided to go to the pool.  And it was all worth it.  For the first timers, they realised there was still such a place in KL area.   

We stopped here to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of the surrounding area.  It's beautiful and made the trip well worth it.  I always enjoy feeding the fish here and it was therapeutic looking at the fish feeding on my sandwich bread.   




Darah manis!  dancing queen's bite!



Someone testing his waterproof camera!



We left the pool area 40 minutes later feeling satisfied.  I believe if we skipped the pool, some of them may not return to this area for jungle trekking anymore as there was really nothing to look forward to!

We completed the trip within 4 hours.  After resting a while under a shade, we left separately feeling satisfied.  As for me, I'll definitely come back to this area for my hiking activity as it's so close to home. 

AYER HITAM FOREST RESERVE - NOV 13

I think I have fully recovered from my long fever.  When I first got the fever about two weeks ago I was given antibiotic as I also had sore throat.  I didn't take it as I thought it was too early to be on antibiotic.  And when I went to see the doctor again three days after that I was lying to the doctor telling him that I had taken all the medicines.  In fact, I took it just for one day and I thought my fever was gone but I was wrong it came back the next day.  The doctor gave me antibiotic again.  Just like the first time, I didn't take the antibiotic. 

Last week I went to another clinic near the office and this time I asked for antibiotic.  Now I'm taking it for 4 days already and I feel so much better.  I hope I'd not get the temperature again.  Why didn't I take the antibiotic when I got it the first time? How about the second time?  I got the excuse for the first time as my sore throat wasn't that bad and I ran out of excuses when it happened for the second time!  I guess I got tired of taking medicines!

Due to my fever, I missed the chance of leading my colleagues for their hiking trip to Bukit Gasing on Deepavali day.  I cancelled it one day before and I don't think they'd have problem in finding the place and there'd always be big crowd there, they wouldn't get lost as well!

I really felt better today, so early in the morning I went to the park near my house and did my brisk walking. I felt good but at the same time weary as I could feel the temperature was coming back.  I simply ignored it. 

So this week, if everything goes as planned, I'll be taking my group to Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve in Puchong.  The last time I went up hiking there with a friend, we were shown a notice that the forest reserve was a restricted area and RM10,000 will fined for trespassing.  Prior to inviting my friends to join me there I did my recce and found that people went up there again!  And from the news, I read that the state government has gazetted the area as education and forest research area.  Amongst the reason why people are not allowed to go up was they tend to mess up with the research being conducted there where the trees were labelled and special parameters were erected! 

I hope I will not disappoint the group and we will be free to go up!  Insyaallah!

AYER HITAM FOREST RESERVE

A friend who was with Small Hiker during the last trip to Gunung Datuk was saying that she's very interested to go to Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve in Puchong. She heard that the place has been open back to public. Small Hiker has to find out more about the news. The last time he heard, it was close and there was notice at the entrance on the closure and the penalty to those who enter the prohibited zone.

As usual, part of quest to get more information, Small Hiker login to the net and googled.

Below is the latest news that appeared in The Star on January 12, 2010:

PUCHONG residents received a New Year gift from the Selangor state government in the form of a promise not to develop the Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve.

In a New Year celebration in Puchong on Saturday morning, Selangor Tourism, Consumer and Environment Committee chairman Elizabeth Wong announced the state’s decision to abort the proposed cemetery project in the forest reserve.

Since April 2004, the residents had been fighting for the project to be scrapped so that the forest would remain a green lung.

In 2008, more than 1,500 residents from Saujana Puchong, Lestari Puchong, Bandar Bukit Puchong, Gateway Puchong and Mutiara Indah submitted a petition, protesting against the development, to the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).

Wong described the state’s decision as a victory for the people.

“The forest reserve is rich with flora and fauna and thus should not be developed,” Wong said.

The forest is believed to have been settled by the Temuan orang asli tribe 400 years ago, and they are now living in two villages nearby.

Orginally, the forest spanned some 4,270ha, but it was degazetted for a variety of land uses over the years.

As of February 2009, 1,217ha had been gazetted by the Selangor government as an education and research forest.

Under the jurisdiction of the Selangor Forestry Department, the forest is on an 80-year lease, dating from 1996, to Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

Wong said the forest reserve was exclusively for scientific research and not open to the public, except with permission from the forestry department.

Nonetheless, following the residents’ demand, the state government is now looking at degazetting a part of the forest reserve for a recreational forest.

“If possible, the site should be a degraded forest.

“We’ll probably cut some trails and make it into a site like Bukit Gasing.

“But we are not going to chop down trees for this, so as not to defeat the whole purpose,” Wong said.

The orang asli, who have vast knowledge of the forest, would be invited to be part of this plan by working as guides or guardians.

Wong added that the effort in retaining the forest reserve was in line with the United Nations’ International Year of Biodiversity, which was launched on Monday in Berlin, Germany.

“It is a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity in our lives.

“We will do more this year to avert the crisis,” Wong said.

Meanwhile, the state government, through the state planners, is looking for a more suitable site for the cemetery project.

Small Hiker has to see it with his own eyes that the Forest Reserve is open to all again. So, this weekend, he'd go there alone. He's got Plan B, if it's close, he'd just proceed to Bukit Gasing!

AIR HITAM FOREST RESERVE IS NOW CLOSED TO PUBLIC

I received an email from a friend informing me that the Forest Reserve is now closed to public. Apparently there is a notice at the entrance from Jabatan Perhutanan Selangor prohibiting people from entering. If trespassers are found entering the area, they can be prosecuted and fined up to RM10,000 or one year imprisonment.

Alamak! There it goes my hiking place, the one that is close to home! I have been there twice so far and was beginning to like it as a weekend hiking getaway!

Personally, I feel it should be open to public. I know for a fact that it's a research centre for a University. However, it's more beneficial if it's shared with the community, just like Bukit Gasing where it has become educational recreational centre that is open to the public. The University can do their research out of the trails so that whatever that they are doing will not be disturbed. Or better still if they do their reserach somewhere else in the real jungle. Natural resources like this should be shared with the public!

AYER HITAM FOREST RESERVE - PUCHONG

Not many people know the existence of this Forest Reserve located in Taman Wawasan Puchong. It's the last piece of green lung available in that area under the purview of Majlis Perbandaran Subang Jaya and it's also a research area for Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia.

This area is not void of controversy either, the community has been protesting the plan by a developer to develop the area adjacent to the Forest Reserve with 137 bungalows, 324 semi-detached houses, one commercial plot and an office site.In the meantime, while the area is still open to public, let's go there!

How To Get There?

The entrance is located at Jalan Wawasan 5/1, Taman Wawasan Puchong. We passed Giant Hypermarket Bandar Puteri, Puchong before taking a left turn at the first traffic light after Columbia Asia Hospital. After that, take the first left at Laman Puteri 1 before taking the first right at Persiaran Bukit. The entrance is located right at the end of Persiaran Bukit.

My Story

Getting there

It's very easy to get there. From KL, after getting into LDP towards Shah Alam, we can exit at Pusat Bandar Puchong, aftr IOI, and follow the signboard to Speedmart 99.

First Check Point

I started hiking at almost 8am. It's an easy hiking, that's why it's a popular spot for families to go for weekend hiking. Along the way, I met several families, mostly Chinese and they were friendly enough to greet me. They must be Puchong locals.

I read in the sketch there were 3 different Check Points but I noticed there were only two. I didn't get to take pictures at the Check Point as it's full of people.

Second Check Point and The Pond

At the second Check Point, I met some groups of hikers there and they gave me direction to go to the waterfalls, which is on the right side. Here it's quite tough but simple, very good training ground for someone who are interested to take up hiking as hobby. I took almost 30 minutes to reach the waterfalls. I had a long stop at the pond taking my time to rest and to munch on breakfast bars. There were fishes in the pond and I shared my breakfast bars with them. It was very relaxing and the water was cold.

After relaxing at the pond and finished off the breakfast bars, I wanted to explore further and headed straight following the trail instead of turning back. I bumped into a group of hikers and asked them where did the trail lead to and was told it'd end at Bukit Jalil. Ooops! My car was in Puchong and I had no intention of flagging a taxi from Bukit Jalil, so I turned back instead.

When I finally reached the second Check Point, I really needed another rest. I took a rest for about 15 minutes and continued again after that following the exit signs. As usual, it's always advisable to follow clear and established trails instead of venturing out and making our own trail. The exit trails are clearly marked and I don't think hikers will get lost there.

Other than enjoying fresh air, just like any Forest Reserve, this place is laden with flora and fauna. However, to those who have been to a lot of other mountains, they must have already seen the same flaura and fauna before. Nevertheless, it's so enjoyable to be in a hiking place that is very close to home. So now, if I don't have any mountain to climb, I'd just do my weekeend hiking either at Bukit Tabur, Bukit Gasing and this place.

Finish Line

I completed the hiking slightly after 12 noon and at that time, it was already scorching hot. I took 4 hours to complete it. I must sya that I had fun time and it's always a good thing to share our experience in hiking a new place.

I'll be going for a Treasure Hunt, Damai Laut next week. So there will be no hiking activity for Small Hiker this week.