The high-altitude location of Cameron Highlands has made this highland region well known to local and international tourists. Many policies have been introduced to promote this cool climate area to the international level and it seems to be a successful initiative. However, over development for mass tourism has led to many natural disaster and environmental problem. Land clearing is one of the common human activities that will bring downfall to the tourism industry of Cameron Highlands if this problem is allowed to persist. In this paper, we will discuss what actually happens when uncontrolled land clearing occurs and its effect to its surrounding. We will look specifically into the effect of land clearing on the tourism of Cameron Highlands since tourism is the important factor that makes Cameron Highlands bloom. Several effects of land clearings such as the extinction of flora and fauna in Cameron Highlands and the emission of greenhouse gases has been found and will be discussed in detail in this paper. We anticipate that our paper will increase the awareness of people regarding this issue and be hoping that an action will be taken to conserve and preserve the natural environment of Cameron Highlands from any illegal activities in the future.
Introduction
Tourism or better known as the smokeless industry is a multi-sectoral action that involves economics, social, cultural and environmental natures of the country. In this modern day, every country including the developed and modern country turn the tourism industry into one of the good sources of income, the creation of jobs and employment of people. Malaysia is one of the countries that rely on its tourism industry to generate it economics income. In recent years, Malaysia has become one of the favorable tourism havens in the world. Currently, the tourism industry is one of the significant contributors to the economics income of Malaysia and is recognized as the major wellspring of the foreign exchange earnings. According to the Ministry of Tourism (MoT, 2017), Malaysia has welcomed 25.95 million international tourists to the country and this has generated around RM82.1 Billion. It has contributed 13.4% of GDP in 2017 and is expected to rise by 4.3% in 2018 [1]. This indicates that the tourism industry is important to the economic growth of Malaysia.
One of the tourist hotspots in Malaysia is Cameron Highlands. Due to its 1800m elevation, Cameron Highlands is cooler than the other part of the country. This is one of the important factors that makes Cameron Highlands a place that is suitable for recreational activities and tourism activities. The refreshing cool weather, sprawling tea plantations and mesmerizing highland panorama has attracted a lot of international and local tourists to visit this highland region. Nevertheless, overdevelopment and human activities in Cameron Highlands have harmed its natural environment due to the minimal monitoring and lack of planning from authorities. Land clearing is one of the human activities that have caused the disablement to this famous tourist spot. In 2016, there were reported that forests and natural area of Cameron Highlands have decreased from 67,381 ha in 1996 to 58,855 ha in 2010 [2]. This worrying trend seems to increase despite many efforts has been taken to reduce this activity that has brought calamities to many parties.
This has led to many negative effects to the many parties involved, especially the tourism industry. Therefore, this paper aims to highlights those effects of land clearing to the tourism of the Cameron Highlands. This research also will examine the lack of awareness towards this issue that seems small but actually severe problems would cost the nation to lose one of the national treasures. Our research and work by others have identified several effects of land clearing towards the tourism industry which going to be discussed later in this paper.
Literature review
Land clearing is an action of removing trees, brush, stumps, stones and different kinds of the snag from a zone as required to build an area for mass production farming [3]. The freshly cleared land must be ready for cultivation, including liming and levelling to meet acceptable crop rotation and soil conversation goals. Land clearing initially used to increase the crop production of farming but without enough monitoring and lack of planning this activity have brought many negative effects to many industries especially the tourism industry. This literature review will discuss in detail what is the effect of land clearing towards the tourism industry of Cameron Highlands
Extinction of Wildlife and Biodiversity
Cameron Highlands was once a region of very dense tropical forest, before rapid and uncontrolled development. There are not many varieties of flora and fauna that could be discovered albeit the fact that Cameroon Highlands has various and numerous jungles in the region. The jungles include Lowland Dipterocarp Forest (LDF) and Hill Dipterocarp Forest (HDF) occur at 100 to 300m elevation and 300 to 750m respectively. Upper Dipterocarp Forest (UDF) occurs at elevation ranging from 750m to 1200m such as forest in Ringlet, Lower Montane Forest (LMF) occurs at 1200m to 1500m elevation range such as areas close to Brinchang and Tanah Rata towns, Upper Montane Forest (UMF) occurs at elevation greater than 1500m such as mountain peaks and ridgetops on G. Brinchang [4]. The flora and fauna in the Cameron Highlands are quite rare due to the fact of altitudinal zoning and each has its own characteristics depending on its altitude [5]. Out of 727 species of plants, 61.5% of plants are found in the highlands, meanwhile the fauna profile recorded a number of 56 mammals, 199 birds,58 reptiles and 14 amphibia [6]. The facts above makes Cameron Highlands an attraction for tourist worldwide. Unfortunately, massive extent of land clearing is causing a downfall in the tourism industry. Tourist has been interested in the highlands due to its rare and scarce flora and fauna, they have something new to explore, but since the flora and fauna are reducing drastically tourist has lost their interest. The flora and fauna are losing their habitat and are striving to survive. Drastic land clearing has made it very difficult for these animals. Years go by, and more and more wildlife are going extinct. If no actions are taken to curb this problem the biodiversity in the region will be disrupted and fewer tourists will be coming to Cameroon Highlands.
Effect to agriculture
Agriculture is one of the main attractions that tourist either local or foreign, come to visit Cameron Highlands to have a nice vacation. The climate is favourable to the cultivation of tea, sub-tropical vegetables, strawberries and flowers (under rain-shelter). Some of the popular farms in Cameron Highlands include Big Red Strawberry Farm, Kasimani’s Strawberry Farm, Vegetable Farms, Honeybee Farms and Flower Nurseries. Cameron Highlands is also a place where the tea making process is run by three major tea plantations in the country which is Boh Tea Plantation, Sungai Palas Tea Plantation and Cameron Valley Tea Plantation [7]. To sustain these current agricultural activities in Cameron Highlands, a sufficient area of is required in these highlands region. The climate of Cameron highlands must also be maintained so that the tourism industry in Cameron Highlands can be continuously carried out in the future.
However, land clearing in Cameron Highlands has taken out some of the lands that limited the agricultural activities which can affect the tourism industry in Cameron Highlands. It also increases the temperature of Cameron Highlands in these past few decades. Based on weather data from the meteorological department spanning 46 years (from 1965 to 2011), there was a rise in minimum temperature of around 2 degrees in Cameron Highlands [8]. Many believe that global warming has arrived and some also believe that it is the El Nino that contribute to the increment of the temperature. But it is actually land clearing that plays a bigger role in the rising temperatures. The rise in temperature will affect the vegetable farm in Cameron Highlands, which produce around 600 tonnes of greens every year, reducing both their quality and quantity [9].
Once famed for its cool temperatures, Cameron Highlands is now battling to prevent an increment of temperature. Cameron Highlands and also other highlands attract tourists and farmers because of the cooler climate. But if land clearing activity keeps continuing the region, the coolness will be destroyed and also the tourism industry. Cameron Highlands is a national tourism icon noted for its beautiful landscape and cool weather. If the authorities do not do something about the land clearing activity, Cameron Highlands will slowly lose its visitors and eventually, its identity.
Greenhouse Gas Pollution
Malaysia was once an agriculture centred economy, but over the past four decades, it has evolved to the industrialized economy. This in turns causes a greater greenhouse gas emission towards the environment. This is caused by an increased number of automobiles, power plants and factories [10]. The greenhouse gases will eventually lead to a phenomenon called the Greenhouse Effect. The greenhouse effect is caused by heat being trapped in the atmosphere and the greenhouse gases are responsible for trapping the heat in the atmosphere. The greenhouse effect causes a change in the surrounding temperature and to an extent, it can cause climatic change [11]. The highlands is well known for its cool and breezy climate and this has been a major factor for tourist visits. The cool climate itself has benefited the tourism industry in Cameroon Highlands. Nowadays, land clearing has become cancer and it magnifies the greenhouse effect. One of the steps to reduce greenhouse effect is by planting trees as by planting trees it can absorb carbon dioxide and use it for producing energy [12]. Unfortunately, land clearing stops this from happening and the greenhouse effect is becoming more critical. Hence, Cameroon Highlands will not be favoured by tourist as one of its attractions is no more, which is its climate. In order to curb this ever growing problem, there should be implemented on how to reduce greenhouse gas emission and also educate the public on the importance of trees.
Conclusion
Land clearing has slowly affected the tourism industry in Cameron Highlands. Based on Pahang Tourism and Culture Committee chairman, Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsuddin, negative media reports on the influx of illegal immigrants in the area had contributed to almost 50% decline in the number of bookings for hotels and homestays in Cameron Highlands. He also said according to the statistics, the number of tourist arrivals to Cameron Highlands recorded last year was 728,121 people, while between January and June this year, 328,813 people were recorded to have visited the area [13].
Based on the statistics above, land clearing happening in Cameron Highland has frightened the tourists from the region. Cameron Highlands has long been regarded as a lush, green escape from Malaysia’s tropical heat, but land clearing has decimated natural landscapes and created problems that could make it dangerous for locals and unappealing for tourists to visit in the future. Without any additional extensive long-term planning of tourism development, the Cameron Highlands could be in the risk of turning into an avoided and overrun landscape, and no longer the famed home of the mossy forest and idyllic natural beauty.
All in all, we hope that land clearing activities in Cameron Highlands will slowly decrease and completely cease in the future. Authorities like The Civil Defence Department (JPAM) and Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (REACH) must also take appropriate actions towards these irresponsible parties so that the beauty and coolness of Cameron Highlands can be restored thus increasing the number of tourist arrivals to Cameron Highlands. If actions are being taken effectively, surely the tourism industry in Cameron Highlands can be sustained.