CAMERON HIGHLANDS: The microclimate in the popular highlands has seen drastic changes in the past three decades, with minimum temperatures increasing by 7.5°C.
Regional Environmental Awareness Cameron Highlands (REACH) committee member Roy Margaret, 34, said if temperatures continued to climb, the famous strawberries in the area would disappear.
"The size of the strawberries has already been affected and they will be much smaller in the future. I won't be surprised if strawberries disappear from Cameron Highlands one day. When the weather becomes hotter like in the lowlands, the types of crops here will also change," he said.
Roy, an engineer, is from Tanah Rata, the main town in the highlands that often sees bumper-to-bumper traffic during holidays.
He said tourists thronged the area for its natural beauty, but global warming and deforestation had taken a toll on the environment.
The minimum and maximum temperatures recorded by the Meteorological Department at the time of this report were 16°C and 23°C.
"While we can't stop climate change, we can mitigate its impact and slow down the temperature rises," said Roy, who has been raising the alarm on the impact soaring temperatures would have on Cameron Highlands flora and fauna.
He said strawberries thrived in temperate climates and temperatures above 23°C could affect the yield.
"Forests help regulate the temperature. However uncontrolled land clearing would lead to soaring temperatures, not to mention other environmental damage, such as floods and landslides, which are already happening."
Roy said apart from agriculture, the highlands relied on tourism and agro-tourism, which were sensitive to changes in weather.
Apart from the strawberry farms, he said visitors also enjoyed the view from Gunung Brinchang, the highest peak in Cameron Highlands accessible by road, as well as tea plantations that thrive in the valleys.
For some resorts, the rising temperature had forced them to install air conditioners in their rooms.
Angela Marina Hoon, 65, said people had never needed the use of fans or any cooling system during her 38 years experience as a tour guide here.
"It used to be so cold here that going to Cameron Highlands was like visiting any cold European country.
"Nowadays, some visitors even ask if the hotel has fans installed in the rooms," she said.
She said unregulated traffic had contributed to greenhouse emissions, and wanted the number of vehicles here to be controlled.
"We can see many vehicles even on weekdays, and traffic congestions in some parts of Cameron Highlands is now very common. Can you imagine how much greenhouse gases that come from running engines?" she asked.
It was reported that Cameron Highlands receives over a million tourists every year.
During a visit recently, the people in Tanah Rata were seen swapping their sweaters and jackets for short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts.
Tour guide K. Kaliyannan, 57, said preserving the natural environment was important so Cameron Highlands retained its unique identity.
"We need to strike a balance between development in agriculture and preserving nature. What is tourism without the flora and fauna that Cameron Highlands is known for?" he asked.
Kaliyanna said with strawberry farm yields down due to rising temperatures, some sellers even resorted to buying imported strawberries and stingless bee honey from elsewhere before reselling it in Cameron Highlands.
"People have noted that strawberries from Cameron Highlands are smaller and sour, compared with the imported ones," he said.
As with the rest of the world, he said Cameron Highlands was facing dire climate challenges and should be protected from further damage.
"We should stop unregulated land clearing and overdevelopment, which have adverse effects on the environment including loss of wildlife habitat and endemic species.
"People come here for the cool climate. However, the warmer temperature has caused smaller crop yields. If things don't change, even farmers will have to find something else to do."