KUALA LUMPUR - Bukit Dinding in Wangsa Maju here is among the remaining green lungs of the bustling capital city and a popular destination for hiking, jogging and cycling. However, few are aware that this 291-meter-high hill is also rich in geological treasures.
Its history may not be as significant as that of Bukit Melawati in Selangor which was once conquered by Dutch colonists, or Bukit Candu in Singapore which served as the last line of defence for Lieutenant Adnan Saidi against the Japanese army around 1942.
However, less known is the fact that the Bukit Dinding hill area, covering more than 300 acres (121.4 hectares), had witnessed the Klang War in the 1870s.
Not only that, studies have also revealed the schist rocks found on the hill - known as Dinding Schist, a name derived from the hill itself - are estimated to be 479 million years old, among the oldest in Peninsular Malaysia and predating its limestone formations and Hawthornden Schist.
Associate Prof Dr Mustafa Kamal Abdul Aziz, a former lecturer at the University of Nottingham Malaysia’s Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department who has researched Dinding Schist, said it is a coarse-grained metamorphic rock composed of different types of rocks, characterised by several discontinuous structures with an estimated thickness of 3,000 metres.
He believes Bukit Dinding, due to its geological richness, has great potential to become an important site for scientific research as its Dinding Schist rocks are recognised by geologists as some of the best samples available in the country.
"Further research can be carried out to explore the relationship between the Dinding Schist rocks and surface structures, as well as their impact on uncontrolled development and other natural hazards such as floods and landslides.
"In addition, studies can also focus on how Bukit Dinding can be managed as a natural defence to mitigate the effects of climate change, such as heavy rainfall, prolonged drought and forest fires, in the capital city," he told Bernama recently.
Mustafa Kamal also suggested that Bukit Dinding be designated as a national geopark to preserve its ecological treasures.
"If some of the Dinding Schist found in Melawati and Ukay Perdana has resulted in the area’s elevation to geopark status (Gombak-Hulu Langat Geopark, Selangor), why is the Dinding Schist in Bukit Dinding being overlooked, especially since this area has the best (schist) samples in terms of age and origin.
"In fact, the Bukit Dinding schist is still well-preserved compared to that of Ukay Perdana and Melawati, where most of the rock outcrops have been destroyed due to development," he said.
Universiti Malaya Department of Geology senior lecturer Dr Elanni Md Affandi said there is a possibility that the Dinding Schist rocks here are at risk of weathering due to the interaction with various environmental agents such as rainwater, temperature changes and wind, leading to their eventual breakdown into soil.
This process, however, is a lengthy one, she said, adding schist rocks are usually found at a depth of 13.6 metres from the ground surface and consist of two main types of rocks, namely meta-volcanic and quartz-mica schist, which have different properties.
"...and when development occurs, forest trees that hold the soil structure are cut down and cleared, and the natural drainage system is also altered. As a result, during prolonged heavy rain, the infiltration of water into the slopes increases the soil's water saturation, weakening its condition.
"When this happens, the schist rocks are exposed to environmental agents which can lead to landslides and mudslides," she said, adding field surveys and satellite images have shown that around seven small and large landslides occurred in 2021 in Bukit Dinding.
Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) botanist Lim Koon Hup, meanwhile, said although the Bukit Dinding forest is poor in terms of biodiversity, it (biodiversity) can be improved if steps are taken to turn the area into a natural forest.
"For example, Taman Rimba Kiara (in Taman Tun Dr Ismail here) was once a rubber plantation but now it has a thriving biodiversity following its transformation into a green park by the government. Similarly, the Forest Research Institute Malaysia in Kepong, which was once an abandoned mining area, has undergone a remarkable transformation through reforestation," he said.
Lim noted that during a two-day field survey in Bukit Dinding, he recorded a total of 175 samples of forest tree species found in the area and he expects this number to increase with more time spent in the forest.
Among the forest tree species found there are mentulang daun lebar, pulai, lemba batu, senduduk bulu and memali, each with its own benefits and unique characteristics.
MNS also recorded 88 species of butterflies and 43 species of birds in the same forest, including the black paradise flycatcher and Javan myna which are categorised as near-threatened species. - BERNAMA