South Trail (Discovery Trail)
The south trail forest may be divided into two sections. The terrain in the first section from the start point to 190-m is low and flat. The presence of many secondary species indicates that the forest has been partially cleared in the past, with additional disturbance caused by tree falls. Dipterocarps are rare and include engkabang bintang (Shorea pinanga) and engkabang rusa (Shorea stenoptera) planted by Forest Department some 60 years ago. These two species have flowered twice during the past several years, the more recent one around the end of 2014. Their dense seedlings are still visible on the forest floor.
The second section passes through mixed dipterocarp forest (MDF) on gently ascending slopes, from after 190-m to the end of the trail. Past disturbance could have been due to selective tree felling for timber and collection of jungle produce. Many commercial-sized trees can still be found, such as species of meranti, durian, gaharu, empili and others.
North Trail (Ecology Trail)
The trail passes through old secondary lowland forest on low gentle slopes on the left side and alluvial forest on a flat plain on the right side. Disturbance in these forests has been caused by tree and rattan planting in the past, while natural damage is due to tree fall.
This forest is called the alluvial forest because it grows on alluvial soil. The soil consists of mainly sand and clay that are deposited during heavy rain and flash floods, and is wet and water-logged. The forest is called hutan emperan in the Iban language and is very common in many floodplains in interior Sarawak. The most extensive alluvial forest is found in the Gunung Mulu National Park in Ulu Batang Tutoh, Miri Division. Owing to its rich soil and location near rivers, the forest has been cleared for farming and settlement by many rural communities.
A guidebook on SBC Nature Trail has been published. To download, please click here.
