Hiking on an almost destroyed logging track

**kuching** · 10th Mar 2009, 22:54

March 9, 2009 was a public holiday in Malaysia. Since the weather was good (cloudy), I went to explore in a mountain in western Sarawak. The whole area is an old logging site. There is no big tree at all along the track....all chopped down by logging company. Luckily it was a cloudy day, else it will be hot like hell.

The old logging track

Our plan was to find the way to the summit (4,000 feet) but that day we only managed to reach 1,800 feet.

First one hour was easy....but we still need to be cautious when walking pass the landslide areas.

For the next few hours, we need to climb, crawl or jump in an almost destroyed logging track caused by erosion. Since no vegetation or tree to cover the road, soil erosion is always a serious problem. But those people never care about our environment; they chopped off the tree & let it be like that. The soil washed down into the river & caused the river bed become shallow & when it rains, the low lying area will be flooded.

**kuching** · 10th Mar 2009, 22:58

The scenery

**kuching** · 10th Mar 2009, 23:23

The hardwoods left behind by the logging company...

They didn't destroyed the jungle next a stream. So, we went in and exploring that area.

The jungle stream.

The tree fern (Cyathea sp.).

First time found this plant....growing on the wet ground.

Unidentified species (right):

The flowers (same species as above):

**kuching** · 10th Mar 2009, 23:30

Very beautiful fern !!!(leaf is green-bluish coloured)

Semi-aquatic fern growing near the water edge.

Terrestrial orchid (Vrydagzynea tristriata) growing on a mossy rock.

Vrydagzynea tristriata

Unopened flower of Bulbophyllum sp. (orchid)

**kuching** · 10th Mar 2009, 23:42

Unidentified species of orchid.

Found this orchid on a fallen tree.

Nephelaphyllum pulchrum (orchid)

Unidentified species

**kuching** · 10th Mar 2009, 23:59

The jungle floor is infested with this blood sucker: leech!!!

Cricket:

Stick insect

**kuching** · 11th Mar 2009, 00:01

Fungi

Bracket fungi (Ganoderma sp.)

Fungi

Coral-fungi

This mushroom is bioluminescent, which can glow at night! (Mycena illuminans)

Cordyceps (fungi) arises from a dead ant.

**benetay** · 11th Mar 2009, 11:42

Certainly please to see that even with the logging activities there are still some patches that remain untouched for the moment.

I love the brown fungi shot, very well done.

Cheers!

**kuching** · 12th Mar 2009, 07:24

Originally Posted by benetay

Certainly please to see that even with the logging activities there are still some patches that remain untouched for the moment.

I love the brown fungi shot, very well done.

Cheers!

Thanks for viewing...

We'll go back again for a camping trip cos this mountain is too high, about 4000 feet.

**Czyne** · 14th Mar 2009, 09:12

Nice fungi shots. The one of the leech is neat too.

Impressive composition and ability to catch such fine detail on some of those micro-shots especially.
Really too bad about the logging in such a beautiful and diverse area.. I hope it recovers okay.

**kuching** · 15th Mar 2009, 03:10

Originally Posted by Czyne

Nice fungi shots. The one of the leech is neat too.

Impressive composition and ability to catch such fine detail on some of those micro-shots especially.
Really too bad about the logging in such a beautiful and diverse area.. I hope it recovers okay.

Thanks Czyne....