Bird Reservoir: An open letter to Sime Darby Property Berhad

I have always loved birds. They are such a joy to have around the neighbourhood. What life they bring, what songs they sing, what colours they add to our landscape. I can't imagine a world without birds.

Everyday when I sit in my home office or in my garden, I am so calmed and delighted by the birdsong that surrounds me. The shrill tunes of the magpie, cheeky calls of the myna. I've noted 2 species in Ara Damansara: the Common Myna (brown) and the Jungle Myna


But most delightful of all are what I call the wilder species of birds because they are less commonly seen in urban areas. These are bee-eaters, bitterns, herons, and kingfishers. Believe it or not, these species can be spotted around the Recreational Park & Pond of Ara Damansara. The lucky enclaves of Calarosa and the semi-dees of Laurent-Lincoln-Lancaster of PJU 1A/29 precinct and very soon Ara Hill, border this beautiful Recreational Park & Pond. Actually it is the once, long time ago beautiful park and pond. You would have read my earlier postings about the severe deterioration of this park & pond to a deplorable state resulting from the development of Ara Hill.

I'm glad to know that the residents of the enclaves mentioned share the same sentiment and have been proactive in contacting Sime Darby Property Berhad about it. I'm happy to report that SDPB responded favourably and said that the upgrading and rehabilitation works will commence in Q1'2009. An independent landscape architect has been appointed for the exercise.

Very good, but I would also like to know if the landscaping and rehabilitation has a holistic purpose, or will it just be confined to one man's view of beauty? What good is beauty if it is without purpose? I have discovered a report of a study put together by the World Wildlife Fund in collaboration with other authorities called "BRING BACK THE BIRDS! PLANNING FOR TREES AND OTHER PLANTS TO SUPPORT WILDLIFE IN URBAN AREAS"

It is an amazing report, available upon request from the WWF. It tells of how parks should be sculpted to encourage the return of indigenous birds to our neighbourhood. This is what I mean by beauty with purpose. In all things, we must have an end in mind, and I pray that the tagline of "developing sustainable futures" of SDPB keeps true to its meaning and intention.

The Recreational Park & Pond referred to here, is absolutely perfect for a pilot project emulated on the BRING BACK THE BIRDS report. I walk there everyday and picture in my mind that if the rehabilitation of this park is carried out in consultation with the knowledgeable authorities of the Report, wow! the owners of the surrounding property can easily hear kah-ching on the value of their property over and above the music from the birdlife they will soon enjoy. The people on Ara Hill, I envy you should the park be rehabilitated for beauty with purpose.

I see this park as being a landmark statement of a responsible developer who cares about the future of our environment while ensuring that it value-adds to its customers' investments. A fantastic premise for leadership by example, a proverbial feather in the cap of the Sime Darby visionaries.

It is my fervent prayer that upon reading this SDPB will see the benefit of beauty with purpose. Hopefully the benefits reaped will be an inspiration to our local authorities (for which BRING BACK THE BIRDS was produced) to follow suit. The Subang airport road has got to be the ugliest road for miles around. That's quite another story.

Credit: Many thanks to Khong Tuck Khoon's Birding in Malaysia page for bird photos.