Physical engagement with the wider community has not been possible in the last 12 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The original intent by Friends of Bukit Kiara (FoBK) was to organise a myriad of activities, including hiking, plogging and commemorating the significant international green lung calendar dates such as Earth Hour, Firefly Day and Earth Day.
With the pandemic, however, these activities have only been partially possible.
Nevertheless, all is not lost as in keeping with the 51st anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, FoBK will be hosting a series of webinars with Think City Institute.
Our climate leaders, grassroots activists, community leaders, artists, influencers, and the leaders of tomorrow will all come together to push us towards a better world and remind us of the theme of Earth Day 2021 i.e ‘Restore Our Earth’.
To join the discussion, log on to https://linktr.ee/BukitKiaraFriends.
To engage with the young, a video about hiking in Bukit Kiara which is targeted at pre-schoolers has been curated so they can start developing a love for the outdoors.
Positive interactions with nature and the environment teach children about their place in the world, and how they can protect it throughout their lifetime.
Environmental education of youth ensures we have enough scientists, advocates, entrepreneurs and everyday citizens of the future who value the natural wonders of our world.
Another exciting development is the firefly project which is funded by United Nations Development Programme Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme and is supported by the National Landscape Department. The Malaysian Nature Society, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia and Urban Biodiversity Initiative are the scientific partners for the project.
Call-outs have also begun for our citizen science initiative and we have received good response for the first batch of participants. Training sessions will be provided before they go into Bukit Kiara in the evenings to collect data about leaf fall, soil and different types of fireflies. The participants will be guided by experts.
Through this project, we hope to create awareness and generate publicity about the possible largest female firefly in Bukit Kiara. This includes the importance of preserving Bukit Kiara for the future.
Together, we can prevent the coming disasters of climate change and environmental destruction. Together, we can ‘Restore Our Earth’.
To sign up as a member, log on to http://www.fobk.org.
This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Twentytwo13.
