Kuala Kedah Coastal Beach

MUHAMMAD HARRETA BIN SALLEHJP/11241/22

Kuala Kedah Beach Coast

The Kedah state mainland comprises of around 80 kilometres of coastline. It stretches on the western seaboard of the Malaysian Peninsular. These stretches consist of white sandy beaches, muddy delta, rocky beach and mangrove grown beaches. These coastlines supported various activity ranging from tourism, commercial and leisure. Located along the Kuala Kedah-Kuala Perlis Road is the "The Kuala Kedah Beach Coast". It is such a place for people seeking mainly leisure fishing activities. The government have initiated the planting of Pine tree (Casuarina equisetifolia) for it to act as a wind damper as well as to commercialize the area for further attractions. These seaside attraction along the Kuala Kedah-Kuala Perlis Road offers abundant of flora and fauna of various species.

Introduction

Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn, also better known as Goosegrass is a species of grass from the family Poaceae. It is well known in our warm tropical climate. It is considered an invasive weed. Wheater via depurative, diuretic, febrifuge and laxative, E. indica is edible. It is consumed by the locals throughout Southeast Asia as a basic remedy to treat influenza, hypertension, oliguria and urine retention. The traces of usage such as liver and kidney ailment treatment are also found along the Equator line example Trinidad & Tobago, French Polynesia, Micronesia and other equatorial archipelago.

Eluesine Indica - Goosegrass

Casuarina equisetifolia or the more common in name is the Pine Tree. C. equisetifolia are native throughout Southeast Asia, Northern Australia and the Pacific Islands. It is an invasive species in South Africa, India and Brazil as well as some part of United States of America especially in the southern part. Much like in Japan, other oriental adaptative culture in Southeast Asia cultivate C. equisetifolia as a “Bonsai” subject. In the islands of Hawaii, C. equisetifolia is grown as an erosion prevention tree as well as wind breaking element much like in Kuala Kedah Beach Coast. The wood is also used as firewood and wood working exertion. C. equisetifolia leaves, dried cone, bark, seed are useful as absorbent and removal material for the removal of textile dyes. C. equisetifolia has been used traditionally for treating inflammation, arthritis, cancer and other diseases.

Casuarina equisetifolia – Pine Tree

R. mangle grows in coastal saline or brackish water. R. mangle are divers in taxonomy as it is converged evolutionary from multiple plant families. R. mangle have a unique salt filtration system and a complex root system for it to adapt with saltwater immersion and wave action hench why it thrives in brine water. R. mangle plantation was initiated because of its important in the ecosystem. Its complex root system is a natural protection against tsunami and adverse weather condition. R. mangle mitigate climate change in adapting to changes such as extreme weather and sea level rise. R. mangle also protect water quality by removing nutrients and pollutants. Its peat absorbs water during heavy rains and storm surge as well as providing nursery habitat for many commercial fish and shellfish. If harvest responsibly, the trunk can be used as pilling base in a watery environment as it wood is resistant to water.

Rhizophora mangle – Mangrove Tree

C. nucifera is a member of the palm tree family Arecaceae. Botanically the fruit is a drupe, not a nut. They thrive in coastal tropical regions. They say that a coconut tree has a thousand uses. This is true as almost everything from the leaves to its trunk have many uses. We can get food, fuel, cosmetics, medicine, building materials and many more. The fruit or endosperm contains a large quantity of clear coconut juice. When mature enough, we can extract coconut milk from the ripe fruit seed. It can also be processed for oil and plant milk. A “Copra” is a dried coconut flesh, the oil and milk derived from it are used for cooking. The shells, fibrous husks and long pinnate leaves can be used as material to make a variety of products for furnishing and decoration. C. nucifera are believe to be spread during the Neolithic seaborne migrations throughout the far east of the Pacific Islands, the far west as Madagascar and the Comoros. They provide portable source of food and water, as well as providing building materials for Austronesian outrigger boats.

Cocos nucifera – Coconut Tree

L. leucocephala or River Tamarind of the family Caesalpinioideae are native in Southern Mexico and Northern Central America. It is now naturalized throughout the tropics including parts of Asia. L. leucocephala is used for a variety of purposes. Such purposes are fencing, soil fertility, firewood, fibre, and livestock fodder or forage. As a forage, L. leucocephala provides a source of high protein fodder. Biomass production based on L. leucocephala was initiated as it has a high yield of foliage. In India, it is being practice as both fodder and energy. The young pods are delicacies in Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Mexico. L. leucocephala is also harvest as pulpwood for the paper industry. L. leucocephala are considered invasive plant. L. leucocephala produces certain phenolic compounds. Phenolic resins are used in the production of circuit boards, laboratory counter top, coatings and many more.

Leucaena leucocephala - River Tamarind

The Kuala Kedah Beach Coast is important not only as an attraction for the local community but it can also serve as a place for academician and student to do their research. Informative field trips can be organized as well as in depth familiarization on the variable species for case studies. We can also create first hand awareness on the important of the plant-animal ecosystem and symbiosis. The Kuala Kedah Beach Coast has equal beneficial commercially and academically.

Kuala Kedah Coastal Beach

• https://www.wikipedia.org/
• https://www.nparks.gov.sg/sbg
• http://www.google.com
• https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb

References

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