THERES no moon. Its the perfect time to see fireflies, says our boatman-cum-guide Abdul Halim Bidin as our boat glides along Sungai Sepetang. Its murkish water barely shimmers in the pitch dark.

Since we left the jetty at Kampung Dew a relatively unknown fishing village in Perak about a quarter of an hour ago, Halim has been excitedly telling us how something so ordinary to villagers like him has become a tourist attraction. For years, there have been huge colonies of fireflies thriving near the small, sleepy village, which is about five minutes drive from the Kamunting toll plaza near Taiping.

The natural light show is spectacular. I sit in the boat, entranced. Millions of fireflies flicker in perfect synchronicity in huge berembang (Sonneratia caseolaris) trees on both sides of the riverbank. The berembang trees are a mangrove species thats the only known habitat for fireflies in the country. The flickering lights in the trees cast brilliant reflections on the surface of the river. Its like a magic show in the dark. And the show is attracting boatloads of visitors, who have heard about this natural phenomenon in the village.

Since we started operating this firefly boat cruise about two years ago, the tourists have all been locals, says Halim, whos a member of Pertubuhan Kelip-kelip Cahaya Alam Perak (Kecap), a body formed by the villagers of Kampung Dew to manage its firefly location as a tourist destination.

Is this an indication of the changing mindset of Malaysians on the importance of preserving the countrys ecological treasures? I believe that its very likely that more Malaysians want to do their bit for nature, if not by volunteering to help preserve nature, at least by visiting natural attractions, and in the process helping the locals to sustain their livelihood within their environment. Simple folk like Halim, for example, are fast learning the advantages of environmental preservation, a crucial element in ensuring the success of Malaysias eco tourism.

But eco tourism is not all about environmental preservation only. According to ecomalaysia.org, a non profit-making organisation formed to help preserve Malaysias rich ecology, eco tourism focuses on volunteerism, personal growth and environmental responsibility and it typically involves travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions.

The International Ecotourism Society puts it in simpler terms. It defines eco tourism as responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.

Heres where Kecaps activities are relevant as it has helped uplift the livelihood of villagers like Halim. The person who started it all is Khairul Salleh Ahmad, a teacher from Taiping whos passionate about preserving the fireflies of Kampung Dew. The locals fondly call him Cikgu Khairul. Responsible for initiating Kecaps formation, he now serves as associations secretary while its president is Mohamad Noor Salleh, the village head of Kampung Ayer Puteh near Kampung Dew.

Through Kecap, the villagers, who comprise mainly fishermen and farmers, have been introduced to a new means of supporting their livelihood. Theyre also acquiring knowledge on environmental preservation such as the need to keep the river clean and to protect the berembang trees which will ensure the survival of the fireflies in the area.

Helping them with their efforts is Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) which also collaborates with Ramsar Regional Centre East Asia to conserve wetlands and the many natural resources that thrive on the existence of wetlands.

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