Green Educational Park,UPMOsman Mohd TahirJury ReviewI(halilah Zakariya & Devendiran S.T.Mani

AGRI 360 Putra Agro-Biotech ParkOsman Mohd Tahir, Abd Aziz Othman, Mohd Kher Hussain& Mohd Johari Mohd Yusof

Rainforest Discovery GanglionAbd Aziz Othman, Osman Mohd Tahir, Mohd Kher Hussain& Mohd Johari Mohd Yusof,

Forest, For Us, ForeverOsman Mohd Tahir, Abd Aziz Othman, M& Mohd Johari MOhdY.:..;U..s..Of..........

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Green Educational ParkOsman Mohd Tahir

A. Ladang 16 University Agriculture Park

The University Agriculture Park was established inDecember 2002 to serve as a research park for UPMand its students to carry out their research and providenecessary facilities for them, Ladang 16 is one of thefarm located in the University Agriculture Park which isstrategically located at the east of UPM campus andsurrounded by North South Highway (PLUS), Kajang RingHighway (SILK)and ERLtrain route from Kuala Lumpur (KLSentral) to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Itcovers a total area of 120 hectares. This farm consists ofcattle, deer, goat and equine areas. At the same time,the site has an excellence panoramic and natural scenicviews.

Amongst the aims of the project is to turn the farm into agreen educational park whereby the staff and students cancontinue with their education and research in agricultureand at the same time the public could also participateand enjoy the facilities and natural environment of thesite, At the first stage of the project, a site visit is beingorganised for the student to experience the site and initialsite observation. The strength and weakness of the site arebeing observed as well as the potential and sensitivityof the site with regards to the natural scenic view andenvironment and the life stock living in the area. Interviewand briefing from the agriculture officers and their staffare carried out in order to get in depth information'sregarding the site. Some group of students also carriedout soil test and view analysis from and into the site. Otherrelated and relevant site survey and analysis are alsobeing done by the students in group.

At the same time, to further their knowledge andunderstanding regarding the project, a simple case studyand literature search is being given to the student as theirassignment focuses on certain topics. The topics selectedinclude literature search regarding Green Tourism, AgriBio Park, Permaculture and Edu Tourism. A study trip wasorganised to strengthen their appreciation and awarenessregarding the topic and include a visit to Agro Park andWildlife sanctuary area,

All the data gained from the survey of the site is beinganalysed and synthesized using Geographical InformationSystem (GIS) by some students. From the site synthesis,visit experiences and project presentations, the studentswould develop their design objectives. Design strategies,approaches and programs were incorporates in the designprocess. Throughout the process students underwenta series of design critics and presentations to the studiomaster and lecturers as well as the officers and staff of theUniversity Agriculture Park UPM. Comments, suggestionsand recommendations gathered from the process havebeen taken up by the students to improve, strengthen andreinforce their design ideas and developments. AGRI 360by Muhammad Shafiq Zulkifli respective is a noteworthysolution in developing the site into an agriculture researchcentre and at the same time creatively integrates thegreen and educational tourism in the development. It ishoped that the concept and solution given in the designwill promote UPM as one of the outstanding edu tourismcampus in Malaysia and being recognised globally inline with the university's vision to become a university ofinternational repute in all direction and field.

B.Ayer Hitom Forest Reserve, Puchong

Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve in Puchong serves as a naturalclassroom and an open laboratory for Universiti PutraMalaysia (UPM) especially for the Faculty of Forestry, UPM,The site has been utilised by researchers and students intheir studies regarding forest and its environment as wellas for extension activities with the community especiallyfrom the Klang Valley area, This is where the Sultan IdrisShah Forestry Education Centre (SISFEC)is situated,

The forest reserve which is situated about 20km from UPMis the green lung of the Puchong Township, The forest issurrounded by vast development and new cities whichincludes Putrajaya, Cyberjaya, Petaling Jaya and ShahAlam. It holds the distinction of being the Low LandDipterocarp Forest which is still intact and preserved inSelcnqor. Originally the gazetted land area of the forestreserve are about 4270,7 hectares but eventually at theend of 1980's, 2638,39 hectares was finally gazetted for avariety of land uses,

As mentioned in the SISFECFaculty of Forestry Booklet(2012), the importance of the site are as follows;

a, Education, research and extension site for UPM

b. Sanctuaries for plants and animals

c. The largest in situ forest rehabilitation initiative inKlang Valley

d. Local Flood mitigation

o. The largest carbon absorption area in Klang Valley

t. Environmental education for the public,

Beside the current usage of the site as conservation sitefor biodiversity, education, research and habitat refugearea, it has also being promoted by UPM as one of theuniversity's forest educational tourism site (Edu-tourism),

Thisproject aims to propose this sensitive landscape area;Ayer Hitam Forest Reserve, into a forest edu tourism andrecreation site without compromising the sensitivity of thesite as a forest reserve and a centre for forest research,The students involved in the project at the first stage arebeing brief by officers and staff of the Faculty of Forestryregarding the history and the forest reserved activities anddevelopment, At the same time they are being guidedinto the forest to have a first-hand experience with thenatural forest environment and appreciate the sensitivityof the site, The student are also required to do a survey

and analysis of the site in order to investigate the strength,weakness, potential and the treat of the area,

Students are also given an assignment regarding theappreciation of fauna in parks and garden, Thisassignmentaims to stimulate their emotion towards the importanceof living things in their surroundings, The appreciation andobligation of these living things including the insect inlandscape hopefully will motivate them to be grateful indealing with this sensitive area,

At the same time a study tour to the North of PeninsularMalaysia was organised to expose students with realsite situation and condition in planning, designing anddeveloping a sensitive landscape area, For instance, forestas a tourist destination and for the purpose of recreationby the public, Some of the places that have been visitedinclude Gua Kelam Recreational Park in Perlis, SungaiSedim Recreational Park in Kedah, Penang BotanicalGarden in Penang, Pulau Pinang National Park andGunung Lang Recreational Park in Perok. These sites werecarefully selected in order for students to acquire differentexperiences and understandings in different setting,

Hence, through a comprehensive and rigorous sitesurvey and analysis, literature search, study visits andsite observations, as well as laborious desk criticsand presentations, the students have came up withcommendable creative and innovative concepts andideas in developing the Air Hitam Forest Reserve as anedu-tourism park without compromising the sensitivity ofthe area, Two projects have been selected to showcasethe diverse ideas that are being propose for developmentof the forest, They are as follow:

i, Rainforest Discovery Ganglion by Mohd Amirul Hussain

ii. Forest, For Us, Foever by Sim Siew Fern

It is hoped that with these enormous ingenious andresourceful ideas and concepts will inspire the developmentof the forest reserve parallel with the conservation andpreservation program of this green lung as a uniquelowland rain forest reserve in Puchong, It may be as well amodel benefiting the whole country,

Reference

Faculty Perhutanan (2010) Sepintas lalu Pusat PendidikanPerhutanan Sultan Idris Shah, UPM PressSerdang, ISBN978-967-344-277-5

Jury Review

AGRI 360 Putra Agro-Biotech ParkOsman Mohd Tahir, Abd Aziz Othman, Mohd Kher Hussain & Mohd Johari Mohd Yusof

The goal of this project is to transformUPM's Green Educational Park intoa Putra Agro-Biotech Park, a leadingsustainable agriculture park for thefuture. The design aims to achievea self-sustainable farm environmentsuitable for education and greentourism. The site's issues range fromwater, air and sound pollution to thelivestock activities in the farm and fromthe nearby highway. In addition, there islack of quality in showcasing areas andhaving unsustainable managementsystem. Hence, the AGRI 360 projecthighlights the need to transform thefarm through green design concept.Among the strategies to include arethe engagement of green architecture,ecological barrier, water - filtration,vertical farming, green transportation,control environment and sustainablemanagement system. The proposalhopes that the realisation of the projectwill elevate the green edu-tourism inUPM towards becoming the leader insustainable agriculture park.

• Muhammad Shafiq Zulkifli

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Rainforest Discovery Ganglion

The work provides a simple idea to conserve the natural settingsand biodiversity of the green patch. This value is expressedby the ecological design and management technologies topreserve the existing habitat and natural landscape featuresas well as to minimize human impacts to the forest. Emphasisis on the 'Natural Discovery'. It is an interpretative trail systemdesigned with technology which is in harmony and appropriateto the natural environment. A series of spaces provided alongthe trail for different active and passive activities especially fornature appreciation and awareness will serve the educationalrole of the forest. These spaces are designed according to thesite's special features of site such as water body, scenic view,topography and Significant trees. These trails will lead users todiscover the actual environment of lowland tropical forest.

Abd Aziz Othman, Osman Mohd Tahir, Mohd Kher Hussain & Mohd Johari Mohd Vusof,

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Forest: For Us Forever••

Osman Mohd Tahir, Abd Aziz Othman, Mohd Kher Hussain & Mohd Johari Mohd Yusof

Forest is an invaluable gift of natural biodiversity to back to the harmony with nature .. .', The design conceptmankind, The forest is for us to cherish and use forever, FOREST:FORUS:FOREVERintegrates "educate + appreciateOver time, human greediness has intruded and damaged + respect" themes to "PROTECT" our fragile and preciousthe natural environment for its valuable resources, It is time forest, Engaging the Sustainable Forest Managementfor us to compensate, to preserve and conserve, in order approach, the design reflects vigilant planning of theto prevent it from further degradation and ensuring its spaces, trails and programs, Incorporated in the naturalsustainability for future generation, The design is inspired forest setting, pertinent programs include forest educationby the Cree Indian Prophecy "Warriors of Rainbow" where and culture, forest appreciation and experiences, and'thanks to the people who have reserved their culture and forest preservation and conservation,heritage", and thanks to this knowledge that we will come

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