Green warrior soldiers on with passion to plant trees

Of late, passersby may have noticed well-designed small posters in the mini-parks and walkways of Bukit Bandaraya and Lucky Garden in Bangsar.

These posters urge the public not to litter and to keep the area clean. The message is simple: “This is a beautiful spot. Please do not litter”, says the meaningful message.

At the bottom of the posters, a little humorous note: “Issued by the Ministry of Beautiful Spots.”

One man’s mission

Public-spirited resident Chandran Nair has over the last two years been planting trees at the spots where giant shade trees have been cut or have fallen.

My friend SN Rajan and I caught up with Chandran over tea a few weeks ago to understand his passion better.

The results of his ongoing greening campaigns are clearly visible in Bangsar, where he has planted many saplings of shady trees. Most are of a smaller and shorter variety, in the spots where huge shady angsana and yellow flame of the forest have fallen or have been cut.

Challenges are aplenty for this one-man environmental warrior. He finds it disrespectful and disappointing when certain people rip up the messages on the trees and throw them away. This happened along Kapas Road in Bangsar when certain people ripped and threw away signs. These people have such anti-social habits, even in the so-called affluent areas of Kuala Lumpur.

Thankfully, these troublemakers are few and far between. Nowadays, many passersby stop to admire his tireless work as the young trees continue to grow. Some have even suggested adding little details like the names and brief descriptions of the trees.

These efforts would nurture love of Malaysia’s rich diversity of trees and plants. They would also complement the endeavours of arborists in ensuring that local flora beautifies our landscape.

Chandran, a corporate consultant based in Hong Kong, frequently visits mainland China as well. Whenever he is in KL, he lives in an apartment in Bukit Bandaraya and walks down two kilometres daily to his family residence in Lucky Garden.

In Jelebu, Negri Sembilan, he has a nursery where he grows seedlings into saplings to replace fallen trees or those removed for safety reasons.

A tag with a red heart indicates the young trees he has planted with the assistance of one or two of his domestic helpers. Residents have also taken note, as the young trees are growing fast.

These days, many residents nearby cooperate with him and provide feedback about areas that need tree replacement. Nearby commercial businesses and shops also support Chandran’s passion.

One notable spot has attracted lots of enthusiasts: the mini-park in front of the CIMB Bank, Lucky Garden, where someone felled a giant angsana. The tree had caught fire when someone burnt leaves at its base. Cutting that 60-year-old tree and removing its trunk was a herculean task against the backdrop of busy traffic. But after painstaking efforts, the job was finally completed.

But the huge six-by-three feet tree stump was an ugly sight. Chandran had two saplings and two frangipani planted in its place, and the plants have grown quickly.

But Chandran also noticed something in all the spots where he had planted trees. Strewn rubbish, tin cans, bottles, plastics and plastic containers, wrappers and paper had created an eye-sore!

Despite regular maintenance by Kuala Lumpur City Hall contractors, the walkways, parks and green areas are full of rubbish.

Chandran said in an interview that “the level of reckless littering and blatant disregard for our environment is shocking in this day and age”.

He believes city hall, in collaboration with residents’ associations, needs to conduct an education campaign while putting in place many more bins and signs.

“Fines for littering should also be imposed,” he says. “This will change people’s behaviour and mindset immediately.”

Posters to this effect must be well designed and attractive.

Environmental benefits

Planting trees will help protect ecosystems in many ways.

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions: Trees absorb CO2 through photosynthesis and store it in their trunks, branches and leaves. A mature tree can absorb around 22 pounds of CO2 per year. 
• Reduces temperature: Trees in cities can decrease temperatures by up to 8C.
• Improves air quality: Trees cleanse the atmosphere when they emit oxygen and remove dust and fumes.
• Creates habitats: Trees provide homes for many living things, including birds, reptiles, insects and fungi. 
• Prevents soil erosion: Trees can reduce water pressure before it reaches the ground and absorb excess rainwater, which can help prevent landslides. 

Malaysia needs more committed social activists like Chandran Nair who have a passion to protect our ecosystems.

Shouldn’t we all emulate Chandran Nair? If we do, we would play our part in stemming environmental degradation – a heartwarming legacy for future generations!

The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.

AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama

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