Common Trees in Peat Swamp Forests of Peninsular Malaysia

Authors: Ng Tian Peng and Shamsudin Ibrahim
Publisher: Forest Research Institute Malaysia


If you are curious about what goes on in tropical peat swamps, this is definitely the book for you. It is a magnificent world which ordinary folks won't dare to step into. However, for those who profession demands their participation in these places, the discoveries are almost infinite.






IF you've been near a peat swamp, you will know how trekker-unfriendly
such a place is. This book attempts to put everything that you have ever
wanted to know about peat swamps, but didn't know what to ask, in its
proper perspective.
First, Peninsular Malaysia does not have a wide area of peat swamps. In
1981, it was estimated that peat swamps in Peninsular Malaysia covered
only 0.67 million hectares. Ten years later, the size was reduced to 0.34
million, largely due to reclamation projects for development purposes.
This book is the fruit of the labour of two hardworking people who have
spent many hours with their feet submerged in water and their bodies
subjected to the biohazards that prevail in such an environment.
The book illustrates quite thoroughly 56 species of trees found in the
peat forests of Pekan, Kuala Langat South and Kuala Selangor. The findings
in this book came from an extensive collection of leaves, fruit and
flowers. All of which were photographed and, tagged, so to speak.
The trees described are by no means a complete overview. There are many
more species but those that have been written about are the common ones.
Poor accessibility was reported to be a major problem in collecting more
detailed information about how the trees survive under different climatic
conditions and the biological phenomena of such an ecosystem.
To the average person, peat swamps are a no-go place, meaning only
snakes, big insects, and other creatures of the wild inhabit the place.
Unknown to many, for decades, peat swamps have been a great source of
valuable timber used for commercial purposes.
The past 30 years have seen large tracts of peat swamps being converted
into agriculture land, particularly for oil palm and pineapples.
Scientists are of the opinion that this form of conversion poses the
greatest threat to the sustainable management of this fragile ecosystem.
One of the major problems that results from peat swamp conversion is the
draining of water. A dried peat forest is exceptionally susceptible to
fire. In 1997 and 1998, all the fires reported in the newspapers (aside
from buildings) were in degraded peat swamp forests.
This book has eminently served its purpose in casting a bright light on
the erstwhile dark, almost impenetrable areas of the peat swamp forest. A
careful reading of its chapters, ranging from forest management, tree
species, to descriptions of the species enable the reader to understand
intimately the types of wood extracted for commercial purposes.
Well-taken photographs of the trees in their natural habitat, their
fruit and the leaves peculiar to the trees described enlighten the
aspiring forestry student or the nature lover on the happenings in
nature's kingdom.
Do you know that the nyatoh wood that makes up your kitchen cabinets
comes from a medium to large-sized tree, exceeding 30m in height? This
species is found only in peat swamps or freshwater forest swamps.
Nyatoh is used for decorative work, furniture and the making of boats.
Another species which deserves honourable mention is ramin. It comes
from a large-sized tree which is usually 40- to 50m tall. Ramin trees are
more common in the Sarawak peat swamp forests. It is an important timber
which is used for high quality furniture.
With the methodical approach in categorising the various species of
trees that thrive in peat swamps, the authors of this book have
successfully completed their task of educating and informing the public of
the origins of the various kinds of furniture, as well as timber for
houses, boats and railway sleepers.
The properties of the different timbers are succinctly elaborated upon
and the generous display of pictures have added much colour to what
otherwise would have been a rather dry subject.
This very useful research material should fit in quite nicely between
the other information books on Malaysia on your book shelves