ANYONE who has been to the mossy forest in Gunung Brinchang, Cameron Highlands will admit that it is out of this world. At 1,500 feet above sea level, it is a most mystical and magical place. The minute you enter the forest you are surrounded by mist and trees as old as time. The area is thick with moss, where pitcher plants and orchids hang within your reach. The ground too is covered with that green, green moss, so thick it feels like walking on a plush carpet. One can understand why anyone would want to capture the location on film although it's hard to understand how anyone could have the heart to disturb even a leaf in this picture perfect biome. Which is why the filming of the movie Puteri Gunung Ledang in this mossy forest located within the Batu Gangan Forest Reserve, has drawn protests from Cameron Highland residents and environmental groups World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia and the Society for Regional Environmental Awareness of Cameron Highlands (REACH). What is the fuss all about? After all, the Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob had said the issue should not be blown out of proportion, as the Cameron Highlands District Office and the district forester's own visit to the filming site had found only minimal damage. This is the same district officer who recently drew a lot of flak, including from the Prime Minister, because he thought it was too much trouble to take action against companies who ignored two stop work orders issued by the Land and District Office. They had violated conditions in their land clearing permits. The Menteri Besar said that according to the report he had obtained, the company had cut down three trees "as big as my arm, cleared tall grass and some undergrowth to set up camp". However, a visit to the forest reserve, by members of the Press, REACH and WWF found that about 15 trees measuring 8cm in diameter had been removed, while pitcher plants and kacip fatimah herbs had been trampled on and badly damaged. At least five orchid species have been damaged or uprooted, including one species said to be endemic to Malaysia, and especially Gunung Brinchang. The jungle track used to be narrow and only allowed visitors to go up in a single file. Now the trail is double its width and at some points, narrow wooden beams have been placed as makeshift steps. The ground is now brown and mushy because there is no more moss which used to cover the ground and cushion human feet. REACH president Ramakrishnan Ramasamy said the sides of the jungle track used to be covered with moss, kacip fatimah herbs, ferns, and pitcher plants. Huge clumps of moss were removed and used as cover for rocks, the ground and branches laid on the ground (of the film site). Moss growing on tree trunks were also scraped off. Notice the difference in the report by the Cameron Highlands authorities (who approved the filming) and that by experts and independent observers. To the authorities, herbs, fragile species like orchids and endemic plants, are just tall grass and undergrowth. It could also be, says N. Nithiyanandan from the Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia, that the Menteri Besar was not briefed properly. Nithiyanandan says this could also be a problem of enforcement. Considering that there is so much focus on Cameron Highlands, the authorities should be more thorough in their monitoring and enforcement. `NOT SERIOUS...' Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob has said the matter is not as serious as illegal logging. He also pointed out that the film company had permission to carry out their activities from the District Officer and the District Forester. According to a source from the Federal Forestry Department, ONLY the State Forestry Department can issue a permit or licence (for one) to enter a forest reserve or to carry out any activity stipulated in the National Forestry Act, 1984. These activities include clearing land, lopping, felling trees or plants of any size, and removing any plants. He also said that before the State Forestry Department can issue a licence, it must first seek permission from the State Exco, since forest reserves are (classified as) State land. He confirmed that neither a District Officer nor a District Forester has the authority to allow any activity in a permanent forest reserve. A source from the Pahang Forestry Department confirmed with the New Straits Times last week, that the State had not given permission to the film-making company to shoot its movie at the Batu Gangan forest reserve. Later, they said verbal consent was given. (According to the National Forestry Act, 1984, a permit is required to carry out any activity in a forest reserve. Not verbal consent.) Razaq Sahibjahn, production/ location manager of the film, on the other hand said he got his approval from the Cameron Highlands authorities. `NOT A BIG DEAL ...' The district officer stated that it is not a big deal, since the forest area that was cleared is in an open forest area, which means that activities such as jungle trekking takes place there. Are we to understand that the impact from jungle trekking is the same as clearing a forest area, damaging plants within it, bringing in foreign plants and erecting structures? The Forestry Department says an open forest merely means that anyone can enter the forest for recreational purposes; for any activities to be carried out (including lighting camp fires), they will still need a licence from the State Forestry Department. `THEY WILL ALL GROW BACK ...' A police report was lodged against the production company EnfiniTi Productions Sdn Bhd, by a committee member of REACH, on behalf of the society. The mossy forest is part of a forest reserve, and the company was trespassing, says the committee member. Plants were trampled on and cut, and foreign species like the morning glory were brought in. This plant is a pest that could take over the forest, asserts the committee member. The committee member is worried, because the mossy forest is a very fragile ecosystem which cannot be easily replicated. Cameron Highlands resident Embi Abdullah, a retired Mardi officer who is now an agricultural consultant and orchid enthusiast, says the moss for instance, is important as a nursery bed for other plants, including pitcher plants, orchids, ferns and the kacip fatimah. It is a good medium for seeds to germinate in, as it is a rich source of water and nutrients. He said the highland peat soil is very acidic, so plants don't grow well on it, but mosses do. They help other plants survive there. "Everything will grow back," said Razaq. Sure it will. The forest is about a million years old and has evolved over time. Give it another few hundred thousand years, and it will return to its original glory - especially since some of the moss has been placed with its roots facing upwards and it is the dry season now. The herbs that were trampled on? They've got amazing healing powers. And the orchids that were uprooted? Orchid scientist Dr Faridah Qamaruz Zaman from UPM, says "The uprooted orchids will not survive unless they are immediately planted back in a similar environment. The Corybas (one of the uprooted orchid species) is a very fragile species and its requirements would be more exacting." `NO CUTTING OF TREES ...' Adnan said that the District Officer and District Forester had allowed the filming of the movie, but under certain conditions. (Now, if the State Forestry Department did indeed give verbal consent, why did the District Office set the conditions for usage?) "Among the conditions were that there should be no cutting of trees and that the site should be kept clean," Adnan said. By felling those 15 trees, did the company violate the conditions set by those who authorised the filming? If they have, isn't this a serious matter? `BUT THE LAW SAYS ...' If, as reported, the film company does not have the permit to film in the forest reserve, there are a number of provisions under the National Forestry Act, 1984 that the company may have violated. They are Sections 16, 32 and 35 pertaining to the occupation and carrying out of activities in a Permanent Reserved Forest; Sections 14, 15, 40, 66 and 68 pertaining to the removal of forest produce; and Sections 81 and 83 pertaining to the act of damaging the Permanent Reserved Forest Area. `TIME TO BE SERIOUS ...' There are several questions that beg asking. For one, can making a highly publicised movie justify the destruction of such a fragile environment? Secondly, doesn't the Malaysian film industry have the expertise to create a mossy forest look-alike? Thirdly, the mossy forest is one of the most fascinating tourist attractions in Cameron Highlands. Who pays the price for its loss? Finally, has sufficient effort been put into educating our authorities about the environment?