Putrajaya Botanical Garden and Putrajaya Wetlands Park bringing nature close to dwellers By Viktor Chong viktorchong@thestar.com.my T he Putrajaya Botanical Garden boasts a sprawling forest of green, spread over 92 hectares of former agricultural land across Putrajaya.
Along the cool length of its burgeoning body, lies myriad jogging paths and cycling lanes amid panoramic views—a treat that nature loving citydwellers shouldn’t miss.
The garden is also home to around 700 species of plants from over 90 countries across the world.
It is divided into three different sections—flowers, ornamental plants and those for preservation and research purposes.
Set amidst this sanctuary is also a research centre that holds a vast collection of exotic flowers.
Five different themes with charming names colour this forested vista, such as the Explorer Trail, Sun Garden, and the Lakeside.
For example, the Explorer Trail provides edutainment to visitors.
They could visit the Visitor’s Interpretive Centre to learn more about the plants before beginning their exploration of the garden.
The Palm Hill, on the other hand, is an arid open area hosting a collection of over 50 species of palm trees.
Among them are the Chinese Fan Palm, Umbrella Leaf Palm and the Rotan.
The Sun Garden, like its namesake features a collection of flowers that thrive in the sun.
Putrajaya Wetlands Park Few natural retreats could compare with the Putrajaya Wetlands Park, the largest man-made freshwater wetlands in the tropics.
It is also the first of its kind in Malaysia.
The park itself spans 138 hectares with the wetlands at around 1,977 hectares.
Besides the languid walks one could take along the natural trails, bird watching is also top on the recommended activities here.
More than 100 species of birds call this place home (among them are painted storks, pelicans, swans and the purple swamphen), making the Putrajaya Wetlands Park an ideal place for bird watching.
Visitors could grab their binoculars and climb the 18 metres lookout tower to spot the elusive avians.
Other activities include water sports and fishing.
Visitors interested to explore the green length of the park should start with the Taman Wetland, the gateway to the wetlands area.
It houses the Nature Interpretation Centre and offers a vantage point overlooking Putrajaya with its 25 metres look-out tower.
Taman Wetland, with its unique ecosystem is also a haven for wildlife, hosting a vast biodiversity in its terrestrial-aquatic wetland environment.
UNESCO has recognised the Putrajaya Wetlands Park as an Ecohydrology Demonstration Site, a place where researchers can observe the interactions between water and the ecosystem.
The wetlands further consist of 24 wetland cells built along the arms of the Chua and Bisa rivers.
Within the cells, marshes and swamps are developed by transplanting more than 70 species of plants from the Putrajaya Wetland Nursery.
Further complementing the wildlife there are 24 species of fish to enhance biological diversity..
