Students set sights on sustainability

RVRC students saw first-hand the impact of humans on the environment at Gunung Pulai (Photo: Siow Zheng Qian)

A hike up Gunung Pulai in a Malaysian forest reserve in late September brought home, for some 28 NUS students, the impact humans could have on the environment. The students, residents of Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), were on a field trip to observe land use changes and learn the value of a protected area.

All RVRC residents are required to take a compulsory module "Understanding and Critiquing Sustainability; and Gunung Pulai was selected as a case study, as it covers topics learnt in the classroom such as the impact of urbanisation and deforestation in the highlands.

The group was led by two guides from Singapore-based social initiative Trek for Hope, which incorporates charity work into overseas trekking trips. Leaving at the crack of dawn, the students reached the foot of the 654-m tall Gunung Pulai after one and a half hours. Gunung Pulai is located within a protected primary rainforest area, which provides locals and tourists some reprieve from urbanisation.

The asphalt roads, which formed part of an uphill climb, soon gave way to mud trails as the group entered the forest via the lesser accessed nature trail. Along the climb, the students began to make connections to the lessons learnt earlier in the semester about the importance of preserving nature and ensuring the survival of the environment around them.

Waterfalls in the forest reserve

While the reserve seemed untouched and fairly pristine, the popular recreational areas near the Pulai waterfalls showed the impact of human activity. The students also saw that quarrying work was being conducted along the fringes of the mountain range, which houses one of the last substantial primary rainforests on the Malay Peninsula. 

The hike also gave the students an opportunity to reflect on their carbon footprint. Many came away with the realisation that they were but a tiny entity in the grander scheme of life.

Year 2 Geography student Huang Jianyi summed up the experience best, "The trek was a refreshing break from the normal academic offerings in school. For the individual, it was a good opportunity to gain a better awareness of self and nature. For the group, it definitely was a great bonding session. It was also heartening to see college mates help one another through the whole process.

By Year 2 Communications and New Media student Gina Chew, Ridge View Residential College