Please save me! Pleasssse!!!

Selamat Datang, Huan Yin, Manakam, Welcome and thank you for visiting my blog. My name is Kota Damansara Urban Wetland. Well, not exactly an Urban Wetland yet but I certainly aspire to be one, a real good one, if the authorities do give me a chance. Would you help me? Please!

I am probably the most sophisticated Urban Wetland in Malaysia fighting for my survival, 'cos I have a network of trusted admirers feeding me with reliable market intelligence. In addition, I am equipped with a web-blog, an email address and an autoresponder - an automatic email broadcast system, incase you do not know what an "autoresponder" is. :) Mr Google, the famous internet search engine, is also my good friend.

Inspite of my shortcomings, I am certainly capable of taking your breath away with the beautiful sunset, egrets, herons, eagles, king-fishers etc :) You don't have to believe what I said now. Scroll down and take a look at the photos, the evidence of my potential to be a REAL goooood Urban Wetland.

All photos are taken from ACTUAL wetland site.
There are NO digital camera tricks. NONE!

Well, please do not just visit my blog only. Come with your children to see the REAL me :) Let me bring a smile to their face. I am sure they will smile when they see me. I am sure! Come and visit me VERY soon before I am being sacrificed in the name of development. Just like the many other victims of non-sustainable development, I was told that I will be another victim ... very very soon :( The authorities in power just NEVER learn. Maybe refused to learn! The authorities preached about sustainable development but sadly, many of the people that care about my survival doubted that they ever practice what they preach.

You see, a developer intents to build 1,000 units apartment right in my heart. They will pour earth into my heart - what the developer call "land reclaimation" followed by all the funny drillings, knocking, etc. Thereafter, I will not be able to function properly as a flood mitigation lake. Houses, shops, schools, roads, etc down-stream will experience frequent flash floods, as and when there is a heavy downpour. The various authorities allowing the developer to do this probably couldn't be bothered with my existence and survival, probably also the flash floods. But, some people do care. They care for me very much! But, they are not in power to do anything :( If you know of someone who has the POWER to save me, can you please tell him to save me. Pleassssse! I heard that The Yang DiPertuan Agong, The Sultan of Selangor, The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister are POWERFUL and caring people. Do you know them? Tell them please, tell them!

I am not sure when will THEY [ approving authorities and developer ] decide to take my last breath away. I will keep you informed of my latest development if you were to subscribe to my mailing list. Just send a "blank" email to kdwetland@aweber.com and I will be able to get in-touch with you.

"blank" email = do NOT need to type any message in the subject heading and message field. Plain "blank" email will do.

Please forward my blog address www.kdwetland.blogspot.com to ALL your friends, urging them to save me too.

You see, if only 10 of you were to forward my blog to another 10 of your friends and so on .... the magic of public pressure might take place. It only takes few clicks of your little mouse. Let's do the maths ....

10 x 10 = 100
100 x 10 = 1,000
1,000 x 10 = 10,000
10,000 x 10 = 100,000
100,000 x 10 = 1,000,000

Sorry, I don't mean to be rude. I can't control my emotion. I can't carry on talking anymore..... 'cos I am crying now ....... :(

Please save me! Pleasssssse!

P.S. Come back to visit my blog often for more photos and latest update. In case you need to contact me, click on "view my complete profile" to access my contact email.

P.P.S. Please leave your comments on my blog to show that you care. It is easy .... click on "Comments" on the white box just below this posting. Your comments are important and can just save me.

Thank you!

White Egrets Add Character to Urban Landscape

Click on photo to enlarge.

On 17th March 2004, Malaysian Nature Society issued a press release expressing its concern over the diminishing coastal mangrove habitats for the migratory "white egrets" in response to the NST article dated January 26th 2004 - "Egrets Habitat Under Threat" It is indeed worrying to see a common trend countrywide that more and more of the migratory bird's habitat are being destroyed and/or converted for human use. To read MNS's press release click here.

About the same time, scores of egrets and herons are frequently sighted at Kota Damansara Urban Wetland by nearby residents, teachers and parents / drivers of Sekolah Sri KDU when sending their children to and from Sekolah Sri KDU every day.

Efforts should be made to spruce-up this urban wetland to encourage these birds making this wetland their habitat during their annual migration.

A purple heron basking in the sun. Why chase it away by taking away its natural habitat?

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This is a purple heron. This bird perch on low trees and bushes, or seen motionless in shallows waiting for or stalking fish and other small animals. While not endangered, it is an important and fairly spectacular wetland species.

Actual View of Kota Damansara Urban Wetland infront of Sekolah Sri KDU. Preserve this beautiful sight! Pleassssssse!

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This 17.886 hectares [ about 40 acres ] of flood mitigation lake with small strips of land around it is located just in-front of Sekolah Sri KDU, next to Damansara Indah Resort Homes Zone 2. Exact location and direction to this wetland. According to the Selangor Science Park website, this flood mitigation lake, known as Zone G, is zoned for recreational purposes. View Zone G.

This lake has over time naturally evolved into a beautiful urban wetland with aquatic plants that attracted scores of birds, such as egrets, herons, king fishers and even eagles. Golden eagle, a rare eagle species was sighted here too. Some of these birds are believe to be migratory species. Residents of Damansara Indah Resort Homes overlooking the wetland had also reported frequent sightings of fireflies around the wetland.

Wetlands "hold" heavy rainfalls, preventing possible flooding downstream. By storing the water in the soil or retaining it in the surface waters of lakes, marshes, etc., wetlands reduce the need for expensive engineered structures. Wetland vegetation also plays a role in slowing down the flow of flood water. A recent study in the USA estimated that 0.4 hectares of wetland can store over 6,000 cubic metres of floodwater. This will not only help to reduce the huge costs of flooding events but also restore other ecological services such as purifying water and recharging aquifers.

Next to this urban wetland is an IWK treatment plant. IWK discharges it treated effluent into this wetland. This wetland will certainly further purifies the IWK treated effluent. Plants and soils in wetlands play a significant role in purifying water.

The federal government had spent millions of ringgit to build a wetland at Putrajaya. Here we are, a God given natural urban wetland infront of us, without us spending a dime. Perhaps the Selangor government should consider sprucing up this wetland by planting additional suitable aquatic plants, trees around the wetland and build a proper walking path for the public to enjoy the biodiversity of this urban wetland, as this flood mitigation lake and the surrounding strips of land are zoned for recreational purposes.

Another actual View of Kota Damansara Urban Wetland infront of Sekolah Sri KDU

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Can you see an eagle hovering over this urban wetland? Look at the top left hand corner. Next to this urban wetland is Damansara Indah Resort Homes.

A VERY rare sight ................

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Fancy flying with the birds and enjoying this urban wetland from a hot air balloon?

"I wish these egrets will NEVER go away, grand pa!"

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These are Great Egrets This is the largest of the egrets, most obviously so when in flight. Pure white, with strong bill. Waits and stalks fish and other small animals in shallow water.

Growing up in a big crowded city like Petaling Jaya, I believe many children have not seen a REAL egret and heron with their own eyes in their natural environment, next to the road, in-front of their school or behind their house. I have to confess that I haven't either. Have you? Isn't this a God given natural treasure that we should preserve?

Do come to this urban wetland for a bird-watching outing with your family and friends. Best time to watch these birds in action are between 7 to 9am.

Probably you have NEVER seen so many egrets from a busy road before. I haven't! Have you?

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These egrets are standing almost by the road side and just a stone-throw away from Sekolah Sri KDU. Probably you will NEVER see such a sight EXCEPT at Kota Damansara Urban Wetland. Probably! Oblivious to the traffic, the egrets are happily looking for preys.

Shouldn't we spruce-up and preserve this urban wetland?

Man, egrets and herons living in harmony. Why not? [ 1 ]

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Can an urban wetland, herons, egrets, eagles, king-fishers ..... and MAN exist and live in perfect harmony? Must we destroy a God given natural environment in our door steps and drive away these beautiful wild life? Do we have to develop every inch of our land in the name of development? How about practising sustainable development that we often preach about? Practice it NOT just preach about sustainable development!

Probably you can't spot the man in his sampan, an egret standing in the middle of this wetland and a group of herons flocking away in this photo. We have croped and enlarged them in the following 2 photos. What a beautiful sight! Isn't it?

Man, egrets and herons living in harmony. Why not? [ 2 ]

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A closed-up croped photo showing a group of purple herons flocking away in the middle of this urban wetland.

Man, egrets and herons living in harmony. Why not? [ 3 ]

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A closed-up croped photo showing a man peddling in his little sampan while the egret stood watch and a group of herons flocking away in the middle of this urban wetland.

More egrets!

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Have you seen a live heron in the wild next to your door steps?

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Another purple heron!

Another purple heron. Can you spot it?

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A blue-eared Kingfisher looking at the wetland

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An eagle hovering over this urban wetland

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Eagles hovering over this urban wetland are COMMON sights here.

Have you seen a Blue-Tailed Bee-Eater before? Here are 5 of them!

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Can you spot 5 blue-tailed bee-eater standing on the wire? A bird of open country in Borneo during the northern winter. Found in all open habitats, rural areas, mangroves, plantations, scrub and secondary growth.

Can anyone tell me what bird is this?

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Closed-up shot of a Blue-tailed Bee-eater.

Water flowing out from the wetland ... to a river that eventually leads to Sg Selangor

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An ugly sight of this urban wetland .... :(

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Must it be in this way? Anyone cares? :(

Another eye-sore!

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Rubbish, wetland, man, egrets, herons, eagles, king-fishers .......... living in perfect harmony? PARDON ME !!! RUBBISH are NOT living organism. Uncaring man about the environment are the culprits. MPPJ can you do something here? Pleasssssssssse!!!

Hips of earth and construction debris next to the wetland

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Urban wetland cum dumping ground? :(

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Come on! Isn't there a designated dumping site? Surely there is!

Mesmerizing sunset over Kota Damansara Urban Wetland

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Isn't this a beautiful sight? Sunset over this urban wetland. If nothing is done to spruce-up and preserve this urban wetland, the biodiversity found in this wetland, just like the sun, will surely set too. :( Can someone in authority act to spruce-up and preserve this urban wetland fast. Pleassssssssssssse!!!!!!!!!

Sunset over Kota Damansara Urban Wetland

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..... Pleassssssssseee!!!! Or this urban wetland with its rich biodiversity will also and surely SET :(