Water-soil erosion features in Cameron Highlands
1997
Amir Hashim Mohd Kassim | Roslan Zainal Abidin | Tew, K.H.
The district of Cameron Highlands is mostly covered by thick tropical rainforest acquiring 59,153 hectares (86.22%). The cool temperature, averaging between 10 degrees celcius to 23 degrees celcius, makes it an ideal retreat for holidaymakers. The climate and soil encourage tea, vegetables, citrus fruits, coffee, strawberry and mushroom cultivation. However, the agricultural activities carried out in Cameron Highlands are at an alarming rate to meet the increasing demand of vegetable and cash crops from all over Peninsular Malaysia. This has led to indiscriminate clearing of new lands with no proper covering provided after harvesting of the crops, thus leaving the bare soil exposed to direct rainfall and making it vulnerable for landslides to occur. This has been supported by the fact that recent developments has taken their toll in the highland itself with many on-going and new proposed development projects. As a result of human ignorance, a spate of landslips and flash floods had since occurred in Cameron Highland lately. Though we cannot halt development that brings benefits to the country, it should, jowever, be environmentally sound and sustainable. In this regard, a study on the water-soil erosion features along the roads leading to Cameron Highlands is certainly timely as from this research, it is found out that there are mainly 3 principal types of erosion features caused by water, namely the sheet, rill and gully erosion. The main feature that occured was found to be the gully erosion and through this study, some of the important features of erosion occuring in this famous highland resort could be highlighted. besides that, these erosion features would give some indication about the possibility of any further erosion risk that could occur in the time to come based on the existing or present erosion features that already occured so that development of any new projects can be well planned and decided in ensuring a safe and quality environment.
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