Field Naturalist

There are some of medium and big trees at one corner (or, side) of the park for at least 15 years. Most of them grew with a single trunk while the rest with two trunks from the same root. It's always marvelous with awe and wonder of these trees. Moreover, it's all dense with its canopy of leaves and branches with 3-5 metres from the ground. With weaver ants around, it's not easy to enjoy sitting under the trees. But, trees are crucial in regulating our air temperature and preventing from the heat.

It was a simple session with one local academic and a PhD China student from my university yesterday morning in Bangi. The weather was quite hot but luckily we have shady trees all around. A simple intro of nature journaling and why it matters really helps them see and explore nature and record it with their curiosity and creativity (1st and 2nd photo). I'm glad that they all could spend time on the weekend however far it is from their home.
(Note: I had no one to take photos throughout the session, but I'm fine with it).

Different species of medium and big trees are all around the park. While some of the trees are concentrated at the edges, others are scattered. Obviously, it's sparsed especially at the centre of the park. I noticed one corner looks like a pocket park within the park.
Meanwhile, a rare wild creature (Asian common toad) appeared closer to me together with Raya (a juvenile raptor, seems to reside at the park for quite some time) before it left. The toad sat there and moved nothing. I better not disturb this fella.

It's a very long weekend, actually since my NJ workshop on Saturday (30/5) with Wesak Day on Sunday (31/5) and our King's (Yang Dipertua Agong) official birthday on Monday (1/6). To the amazement of mostly everyone, today's is a replacement holiday. As for us, it's an opportunity to spending time together in a simple way while exploring new urban parks. Yesterday morning, we went to Sungai Chua Recreational Park located within a local Chinese new village (it's no longer new) with a lake. What a blessing for local residents to have such a park! What's more, it's great to document what's it inside the park.

We all have different ways of documenting our experience, observation, discovery, and exploration in our journal. Most of the participants (adults and kids) have some experiences of spending time outside and recording in their journals before they joined the session. Great to see their entries and how they documented it. Nature journaling is something new to them. Going outside in nature, spending their time observing and recording with writing and sketching are good experience to them, although we all dealt with lots of mosquitoes inside the Nursery Trail (there were raining these few days). Luckily, it wasn't rain this morning. The best part is kids are good in sharing their entry and observation with some questions. As for adults, well, they are quite well although words, pictures, and numbers are new thing for them. Hope they can apply it in their journal.

It has been awhile since then, especially after the Chinese New Year. Mostly everything has changed. It looks messy, dirty, taken granted, and yet, plants sprouted and occupied that spot at the park. What should I do? No worries, I'll get some Christian churches to clean up together.

I decided that we do some sketches at home just now and see how it goes. We were both so focused in our sketching however simple it is. But, we all did it within a short time! So, the only bad sketch is the one not made.

It happened just last few days ago in my condominium compound. After more than 2 decades, around 7 big trees were all chopped for good. No reasons were known. What's left are some staghorn ferns.
I have recorded in my journal entries that most of the big trees in my neighborhood wouldn't last more than 30 years before they were cut.
Meanwhile, air temperature increases and places all around are getting hot. I wonder... is this the life that we wanted to?

It's after quite some time that I decided to give it a shot at my university. But, it won't be at my campus, literally. Only for students and staff.

(12 May 2026)

Many of us have busy lives, and it can be hard to find time for nature journaling. We even make dates for other important things in life, so why not make a date with nature?

With Nature Journal – A Date with Nature, we calm our mind and increases our attention to detail and appreciation of beauty (a sunset, a view, a critter, a flower, a fungus…). The simple practice of nature journaling helps us to reconnect with nature, and remind us of the resilient and beautiful life that is part of our world, and part of us too.

Date: Saturday, 6 June 2026
Time: 9.00am – 11.00am
Duration: 2 hours
Location: Taman Tasik Cempaka, Bandar Baru Bangi
(Gathering point: Parking Area)
Trainer: Mr Chow Keng Fatt, Joshua

Open to UTAR students and staff.
Limited to 12 participants.

What to bring:
- Notebook/sketchbook (preferably unlined)
- Pens
- Pencils
- Color pencils/water colors
- Drinking water
- Snacks
- Mosquitoes repellent

For registration: https://forms.gle/UzdBUjNJRHkhaMcx6

For more information, please contact Mr Chow Keng Fatt, Joshua at 03-9086 0288 ext. 826 or [email protected].

Brought to you by,
The Department of Student Affairs