By DERRICK VINESH
SHRIEKS of excitement filled the air when some students caught a small snakehead fish (haruan), a baby shrimp, some fish fry and tadpoles in a stream at the Bukit Mertajam Forestry Park in Cherok Tok Kun.
They showed their catch to their teammates who murmured before jotting down the species under the biological monitoring section in their river report cards.
They were among 80 Form Four students from 20 secondary schools who participated in a River Rangers’ activity that was carried out during a three-day Environment Awareness Camp at the park recently.
The Penang Department of Environment (DOE) organised the camp with the help of the state Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), state Forestry Department and state Education Department.
The River Rangers all excited over their haruan find.
The students later filled up the physical monitoring section in the card with details such as the colour and smell of the stream, as well as human activities, besides the vegetation, insects and animals found in its surroundings.
The ‘little researchers’ also used basic water sampling test kits to test the water’s pH, levels of dissolved oxygen, turbidity, phosphate, nitrate and temperature.
They finally concluded that the stream was healthy as there was aquatic life and the water was clear with minimum pollution.
State DOE assistant director Mashita Kassim said the camp was aimed at enhancing envi-ronmental awareness among the students.
She said several environment-related activities, including one that required the students to wear blindfolds and walk in the jungle and across the stream were organised.
Apart from going jungle trekking and identifying the sounds in the park, the students also played a game where they assumed the roles of environmentalists and polluters.
“We organised four camps last year and six in 2006 for various groups such as teachers, students, non-governmental organisations, government departments and agencies,” she said.
SMKA (L) Al-Mashoor student Mohammad Lutfi Mohd Anor, 16, said this was his first outdoor activity with others from various schools.
“It is such an eye-opener when we go to the ground as a group to learn about nature and the different forms of pollution,” he said.
Tan Qiao Mei, 17, from SMK Bagan Jaya said she did not realise that there were serious threats to the environment until she attended the camp.
“I am now convinced that we badly need to take care of our environment, especially for the benefit of the future generation,” she said.
SMK Tun Hussein Onn student Prakashwaran, 16, said he would share his camp experience with members of his school’s Environment Club.
The Star Metro Saturday May 17, 2008
