Conservation in Malaysia
Oct 18, 2009 4:58:11 GMT -10
Post by Marcello Catalano on Oct 18, 2009 4:58:11 GMT -10
...by the way, if someone wants to start discussing this too, I just found these inspiring lines:
"Despite the availability of artificially propagated nepenthes, collection from the wild persists. Nepenthes are protected only in Sabah and Sarawak, and not in Peninsular Malaysia.
“I’ve seen people with a gunny sack of nepenthes at Genting Highlands,†says Fauzi, shaking his head in disbelief. “Some places used to have a lot of nepenthes but not anymore,†he says, citing Mersing, which is known for the N. rafflesiana that is found just by the roadside. “The N. albomarginata Penang grows on the roadside in Penang Hill, and so is widely collected by visitors.â€
The casual nepenthes grower, Fauzi believes, might initially pick from the wild but would eventually learn that such plants seldom survive. It would be better to buy propagated plants. To get wild N. gracillima, for instance, one would have to scale Gunung Tahan, the only place where it grows. Fauzi is not about to do that – he finds it easier to buy cultured plants.
But to begin artificial propagation, he says one would have to start with wild plants or seeds. He says this could be done “as long as you have good conscience, know what you are doing, and you just want to multiply the plant.â€
Genuine nepenthes enthusiasts, he adds, pose no threat as they only take cuttings. He says casual collectors, on the other hand, are known to dig up the entire plant, thereby disturbing its roots and killing it.
Fauzi’s nursery, small though it may be, is a sort of refuge for nepenthes which are threatened by illegal collection and habitat loss. He believes that growing nepenthes in nurseries contributes to survival of the species for if left in the wild, they may be lost to forest fires or cultivation.
“In Bau, Sarawak, I once saw lots of pitcher plants but on my next visit, they had been wiped out by fires that were lit to clear the land. The ampullaria is a species that is difficult to find in Selangor but it can be found in Rawang (Selangor). But that place has been cleared for a road.â€
Fauzi also sees his effort as plant conservation work. “I’m multiplying the plants so that people can see them and grow them anywhere. So they need not get them from the wild.â€
Now that he has met the challenge of growing the plant, what is his next target? He replies: “I hope my place can be a place of education for people to visit and learn about nepenthes, like a sort of nepenthes centre.â€
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It would be nice to hear from people in other SE Asian Countries who are willing to work on this like me, Shawn, Trong etc in Thailand...
"Despite the availability of artificially propagated nepenthes, collection from the wild persists. Nepenthes are protected only in Sabah and Sarawak, and not in Peninsular Malaysia.
“I’ve seen people with a gunny sack of nepenthes at Genting Highlands,†says Fauzi, shaking his head in disbelief. “Some places used to have a lot of nepenthes but not anymore,†he says, citing Mersing, which is known for the N. rafflesiana that is found just by the roadside. “The N. albomarginata Penang grows on the roadside in Penang Hill, and so is widely collected by visitors.â€
The casual nepenthes grower, Fauzi believes, might initially pick from the wild but would eventually learn that such plants seldom survive. It would be better to buy propagated plants. To get wild N. gracillima, for instance, one would have to scale Gunung Tahan, the only place where it grows. Fauzi is not about to do that – he finds it easier to buy cultured plants.
But to begin artificial propagation, he says one would have to start with wild plants or seeds. He says this could be done “as long as you have good conscience, know what you are doing, and you just want to multiply the plant.â€
Genuine nepenthes enthusiasts, he adds, pose no threat as they only take cuttings. He says casual collectors, on the other hand, are known to dig up the entire plant, thereby disturbing its roots and killing it.
Fauzi’s nursery, small though it may be, is a sort of refuge for nepenthes which are threatened by illegal collection and habitat loss. He believes that growing nepenthes in nurseries contributes to survival of the species for if left in the wild, they may be lost to forest fires or cultivation.
“In Bau, Sarawak, I once saw lots of pitcher plants but on my next visit, they had been wiped out by fires that were lit to clear the land. The ampullaria is a species that is difficult to find in Selangor but it can be found in Rawang (Selangor). But that place has been cleared for a road.â€
Fauzi also sees his effort as plant conservation work. “I’m multiplying the plants so that people can see them and grow them anywhere. So they need not get them from the wild.â€
Now that he has met the challenge of growing the plant, what is his next target? He replies: “I hope my place can be a place of education for people to visit and learn about nepenthes, like a sort of nepenthes centre.â€
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It would be nice to hear from people in other SE Asian Countries who are willing to work on this like me, Shawn, Trong etc in Thailand...