WORLD ECOTOURISM CONFERENCE 2010

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

A combination of natural resource factors in a forest created attractions to recreation activities to peoples (Hammit and Cole, 1998).

Hence, persistent physical activities in the forest caused undesirable and physical changes to the natural resources of a forest (soil condition and vegetation health).

Most of the impacts were started from a trail used to access the recreation area.

Excessive trail-related impacts to vegetation, soil, and wildlife or water quality may affect the comfort and recreational experience of visitors.

In order to mitigate the problem of impacts on the natural resources along the trails, related management actions need to be taken immediately including monitoring the areas systematically and continuously and focus on the impacted areas to avoid the occurrence of an adverse situation.

INTRODUCTION

To quantify the physical changes on soil and composition of plant species.

To compares the changes those occur between parts of lowland and types of physical changes.

Ulu Bendul Recreational Forest, Negeri Sembilan › Compartments 45

and 52 in Angsi Forest Reserved Negeri Sembilan

Total area : 6.47 ha Height : 825 meters

a.s.l Forest type :

› Lowland Dipterocarp Forest

MATERIALS AND METHODS

02° 42´ 67´´ N latitude 102° 03´ 93´´ E longitude

DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY

COMPARISON OF USED AND

UNUSED SITES

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Estimates and measurements are taken on sites to access current resource conditions (Rochefort and Swinney, 2000)› Physical changes to soil : measurements on

expansion of trail width, soil compaction, and presence of gullies.

› Plant composition : identification and estimation of type of plant species.

Research Design

Research Design

DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY

Systematic Observation› hiking trails in lowland part of Gunung

Angsi were divided into 3 sub-parts ; lower sub-part (<100 m) middle sub-part (100 – 200 m) upper sub-part (200 – 300 m)

› The observation and measurement were conducted on every Saturday started at 8.30 a.m in three consecutive weeks in the month of February 2008

Three impacted plots

were built at each sub-parts

Measurements were taken on recreation sites (impacted plot) and nearby undisturbed site which is a control plot (Hall and Kuss, 1989).

Control plots were built at each sub-part with three replications of impacted plots (beside the trail).

The plant species that present in control plot were compared to the impacted plot in order to determine whether there are appearance of exotics species and type of species survived.

Simple random sampling identify the plant composition by selecting

plant species in control plot randomly

Research Design

Physical changes on soil› Measurement taken for physical changes

and equipments used in these procedures

PHYSICAL CHANGES EQUIPMENTS USED

Expansion of trail width

Measuring tape (20 m)

Deepness of gullies Ruler/ Measuring tape

Soil compaction Pocket Penetrometer

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Descriptive Analysis › to get frequencies, maximum and minimum

value, mean, and standard deviation to evaluate the physical changes on soil surface

Correlation Analysis › to seek for a relationship between an

expansion of trail with presence of gully and soil compaction.

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) › to test the significant difference of all sub-

parts of lowland part of Gunung Angsi with all types of physical changes on soil.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

UPPER MIDDLE LOWER F P-Value

Expansion of trail width

1.003a 0.904ab 2.167c 10.713 0.000

Presence of gullies

0.00a 7.89ab 41.89c 48.520 0.000

Soil compactio

n3.378b 2.311a 2.900ab 5.848 0.009

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

There were no changes occur on value of soil compaction within three weeks in plot 2 in upper sub-part and plot 3 in middle sub-part of lowland.

The most compacted soil is in plot 3 in the upper sub-part with 4.2 g/cm2 followed by plot 1 in lower sub-part with 4.0 g/cm2.

However, soil in plot 2 in middle sub-part was the most uncompacted area with only 2.2 g/cm2 of compaction.

SOIL COMPACTION

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The highest total increment of trail expansion within 3 weeks are plot 1 in upper sub-part and plot 2 in middle sub-part with 0.7 meters.

There are no enlargement of trail width occurred in plot 1 in middle sub-part within 3 weeks.

From field observation, there are two different paths in plot 3 in the lower sub-part. It has been divided by several shrub and there is a big rock has blocked one of the path. This situation leads to the creation of another trail. After being used continuously, it resulted in expanding trail width reached almost 4.0 meters length.

EXPANSION OF TRAIL WIDTH

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

PLOT 3 LOWER SUB-PART

Gullies presentations were absent in plot 1 and plot 3 in middle sub-part and upper sub-part of lowland of Gunung Angsi.

There were gullies presentations in all plots in lower sub-part. › The deepest gully was in plot 2 in lower sub-part with 60 cm

depth. The highest increment of deepness of gully within 3

weeks is at plot 2 in lower sub-part with 10 cm. In connecting with the appearance of gully erosion,

trail expansion usually takes place. › It is a natural tendency of users to walk along the trail edge

rather than trail tread to avoid gully erosion.

PRESENCE OF GULLY

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

PLOT 2 LOWER SUB-PART PLOT 2 MIDDLE SUB-PART

1 .593** -.052. .001 .797

27 27 27.593** 1 -.184.001 . .358

27 27 27-.052 -.184 1.797 .358 .

27 27 27

Pearson CorrelationSig. (2-tailed)NPearson CorrelationSig. (2-tailed)NPearson CorrelationSig. (2-tailed)N

wide

gullies

compaction

wide gullies compaction

Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).**.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

PLANT

UPPER SUB-PART

MIDDLE SUB-PART

LOWER SUB-PART

CP1

P2 P3 C P1

P2 P3 C P1

P2

P3

Agrostistachys longifolia √ √     √ √ √   √      

Alstonia angustiloba √   √                  

Dyera constulata √   √                  

Lithocarpus wallichianus √       √ √ √   √   √  

Neolamarckia cadamba √                      

Knema sp √       √ √ √          

Tacca spp. √   √           √ √    

Oxyspora bullata √     √ √              

Aporusa benthamiana                 √      

Donax grandis √               √ √    

Callamus spp √ √ √   √     √        

C: Control Plot P1: Plot 1 P2: Plot 2 P3: Plot 3

There were no species left in plot 3 in lower sub-part› Due to the trail expansion that damaged

the vegetation either by trampling or other reactions by users (e.g: bend or shake the plants).

Only one species survived in plot 3 in upper sub-part› This happen as a result of the high degree

of compaction (4.2 g/cm2) a tough condition for plant to survive.

PLANT COMPOSITION

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Lower sub-part of lowland has changed quite significantly that can be seen on the presence of gullies and the expansion of trail. Plot 3 in the lower sub-part of lowland has experienced soil degradation including declination of plant composition.

The upper sub-part of lowland is the most compacted area and this lead to the poor establishment of plant where there are about six out of ten species left in impacted plots.

Cole, D.N. (1989). Low-impact recreational practices of wilderness and backcountry (General Technical Report INT-265). Ogden, UT: USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station.

Hammit, W.E, & Cole, D.N. (1998). Wildland Recreation: Ecology and Management (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Koo, W.K. (2006). Visitors Perceptions on Recreational Use Impacts on Soil and Vegetation in Ulu Bendul Recreational Park, Negeri Sembilan. Degree Thesis. Universiti Putra Malaysia.

Liddle, M. J., & Grieg-Smith, P. (1975). A Survey on Tracks and Paths in a Sand Dune Ecosystem. Journal of Applied Ecology, 12, 893-908.

Leung, Y. F., & Marion, J. L. (2000). Recreation Impacts and Management in Wilderness: A State-of-Knowledge Review. In D.N. Cole, S.F. McCool, W.T. Borrie & J. O’Loughlin (Comps.), Wilderness Science in a Time of Change Conference- Volume 5: Wilderness Ecosystems, Threats, and Management (Proceedings RMRS-P-15-VOL5)(pp.23-48). Ogden, UT:USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.

Marion, J. L., & Leung, Y.-F. (2001). Trail Resource Impacts and An Examination of Alternative Assessment Techniques. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, Volume 19(3), pp.17-37.

Rochefort, R.M., & Swinney, D.D. (2000). Human Impact Surveys in Mount Rainier National Park: Past, Present, and Future. In D.N. Cole, S.F. McCool, W.T. Borrie & J. O’Loughlin (Comps.), Wilderness Science in a Time of Change Conference- Volume 5: Wilderness Ecosystems, Threats, and Management (Proceedings RMRS-P-15-VOL5)(pp.165-171). Ogden, UT:USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station.

The authors would like to thank Mr. Jumaat, Mr. Hairi, Mr. Nizam and Mrs, Nurfaizah for assist us on field work.

Thanks to Forest Department of Negeri Sembilan for giving the permission to accomplish this study in Ulu Bendul

Recreational Forest Negeri Sembilan.