After the flash floods

Flash floods on 25 Dec'15

The stream back to normal size on 30 Dec'15
Location : Provinsi Carpentaria, Zone F

Note: The tall tree at the foreground is a wild 'Rambutan' tree species.  This is one of the oldest cultivated tree at the park and despite its 70 years old age has been fruiting luxuriously this year.

It's flooding time

The stream overflows and create a unique and beautiful waterscape at Zone F plain area.

 It is really out of the ordinary.  It is, however, a very much welcome change even for a few hours.  The Kambatik stream overflows this morning after a torrential downpour which lasted for  2 hours, between 9.30 - 11.30 am.  The presence the  flash floods is a spectacular phenomena as a result of the park's location in the headlands section of the lowland dipterocarp forest where it is situated.  It is a wonderful feeling walking through the flood water because of the element of fluidity, its sound and speed and the feeling of wetness as I waded against the flow to capture photographs from low camera angles.  If you are slow or your camera is out of battery or not willing to get wet, you'll miss the scenery by remaining indoors during the rain.  This is because the flash floods disappear soon after the rain stopped.  Below are some memorable shots of this morning flash floods.

View of Provinsi Carpentaria, looking upstream

View of Provinsi Carpentaria, looking downstream

Zone D

Location : Road culvert area, view towards Zone B

Trees take away the heat

View of Provinsi Carpentaria, looking south from Zone C

 Since arriving less than a week ago, the park has not experienced any rain.  It is evident that the drought season is back and the water level at the stream is extremely low.  The weather is hot and sunny but is no reason for not working.  The tall trees in the park help out in taking away the heat and made it pleasant to work underneath the canopy of the oil palm trees and other large fruit as well as jungle trees in the park.

Provinsi Carpentaria
This area is named after the tall Carpentaria palms as seen at left of the picture.  These trees are not yet matured.

Carpentarias are starting to grow tall

View of Provinsi Carpentaria, looking west.

View of Provinsi Carpentaria, looking west.
Note the Carpentaria palms at center of picture, starting to grow tall.

View of Provinsi Carpentaria as seen from Zone C, looking south.

The Provinsi Carpentaria is a fallback area. Its banks and flat areas will as experience shows be inundated with water from flash floods.  But as quickly as  the floods arrive the overflowing stream will soon return to its original size the moment heavy rains ceased.  The flat areas are planted with Carpentaria palms and coconut trees.  The beauty of having a stream that runs and cuts through the park is that in times of drought the trees planted on both sides will continuously enjoy the presence of water around them, thus guaranteeing consistent fruiting and enough water to sustain the trees in times of dry weather or drought. The Carpentaria palms are growing tall now as seen in the pictures above.

More views of the Provinsi Carpentaria

View looking east

View looking north

 This plain area, called Provinsi Carpentaria sounds international.  'Provinsi' comes from the Indonesia word to mean province.  Carpentaria is a place in Australia where at its bay are to be found many Carpentaria palms.  At the inset is seen healthy growing Carpentaria palms.  This palm is the main palm species planted at this provinsi. Other palm species planted in this location is the Coconut palm which are planted along the stream.   The Carpentaria palms are planted in boulevard-style planting.  The whole plain areas at the park is turned into a big palm collection.  To see other tropical palms suitable for the Kambatik garden, check them out in my blog here ...>>>http://alltheplants3.blogspot.com/search/label/Palm

View looking south-west
Note the healthy growing Carpentaria palm at left of picture.

View looking east

In Plain Sight - Provinsi Carpentaria (Part 1)

View of Provinsi Carpentaria - looking north
Location : Zone F

The Kambatik parkland has many interesting  geograpahical features.   A stream runs through the park for approximately half a kilometer distance.  The highest point of the stream is at the eastern part of the park and is approximately 150 feet above sea level.  From there the stream meanders towards the lowest point of the park located to the west in a 60 feet gradual drop.  The stream is surrounded on all sides by hills, spurs, rolling slopes and valleys.  However at its immediate surrounds i.e. on the banks of the stream are to be found many low-lying or flat areas which in geographical term I call 'plain'.  In developing the park I was very concerned from the beginning about retaining the natural direction and  flow of the stream.  By doing so I hoped to have many fallback positions especially in combating torrential rain and flash floods that are a natural phenomena at the park, restricted to limited hours as a result of heavy downpour.  There are eight of these plain areas and are named according to the specific palm species that are prevalent in the landscape.  Starting from the source of the stream, the  plain areas are fondly referred to as Provinsi ( Malay for province); thus Provinsi Pinang, Provinsi Yellow Palm, Provinsi Manila, Provinsi Carpentaria, Provinsi Lakka, Provinsi Borneo (Buah Nyiur - origin of the word Borneo, pronounced in Malay), Provinsi Lady Palm and Provinsi Rattan.  In this post I show the Provinsi Carpentaria with its iconic Carpentaria Palm.

View of Provinsi Carpentaria, looking north
Location : Zone F

Carpentaria acuminata - Carpentaria palm
Location : Provinsi Carpentaria, Zone F

 The above picture shows a line of the Carpentaria palms planted nearby the stream. Below is a picture that shows the stream in dry weather, thus the water level is low.  Carpentaria palms originate from Australia and are native to the Carpentaria Bay there.

Provinsi Carpentaria, view looking south.

Plain areas are important landscape features because they afford our eyes rest when scanning the natural landscape of hills and valleys. They provide optimum flat areas for leisure and recreational activities.  Finally they are significant for wildlife as scavenging and foraging grounds for birds, butterflies and dragonflies.  Birds especially need its 'free' flight space to dash around the park quickly and without much obstruction.