Pulai Trail Community Forest
An urban forest experience minutes away from the centre of Kuala Lumpur.
The Pulai Trail area is one the last remaining public green spaces in Bukit Persekutuan (also known as Federal Hill). The trail consists of a series of loops with 1.2km of trails. The main entrance is off Jalan Negeri Sembilan and it is also accessible from the adjacent neighbourhood of Bangsar, with the entrance from Free Tree Society’s Bangsar Nursery.
A 2019 survey by the Urban Biodiversity Initiative (UBI) indicated the presence of small wildlife such as insects (including fireflies and 11 species of butterflies), 10 taxa of spiders, insectivorous bats, and the four-lined tree frog – a species native to the Southeast Asian region. As our active conservation work increases the plant diversity of the area, we have witnessed beneficial impact on the wildlife diversity, in particular, recording greater numbers of both frogs and insects.
We welcome groups of people keen to pitch in to maintain the trail and contribute to the conservation of the trail area. As part of a placemaking strategy we have launched www.pulaitrail.info and @pulaitrail social media channels on Facebook and Instagram. Be sure to like and follow these initiatives!
Download our booklet to read more about protecting this precious place.
Scheduled Activities
FTS runs two weekly conservation and trail maintenance activities for the Pulai Trail.
Groups taking part in these activities will traverse the Pulai Trail to learn about urban forest regeneration, upkeep the trail and plant for biodiversity. Both activities will take 2 hours and are suitable for ages 13 years and upwards.
How To Book A Volunteer Session With Us?
Please read all information on volunteering prior to emailing us. You MUST make an advanced booking to volunteer as places are limited to 10 persons per session. Simply click on the orange button below and please e-mail us with your name, contact details, and the number of adults and children [kindly specify their age(s)] you are booking for.
| Activity | Plant the Pulai | Conserve The Pulai |
| Description | – Tree Planting – Talk on Urban Biodiversity – Guided Walk – Trail Maintenance | – Talk on Urban Biodiversity – Guided Walk – Trail Maintenance |
| Day | Tuesday | Saturday |
| Time | 9.30-11.30am | 9.00-11.00am |
| Maximum no. | Strictly 10 people | Strictly 10 people |
| Booking necessary | Yes | Yes |
| Cost | Students: RM65 per pax Public: RM65 per pax Corporate: Click here | Students: RM65 per pax Public: RM65 per pax Corporate: Click here |
| Note | We recommend that you complete either the Bangsar or Taman Tugu Nursery workshops prior to joining this activity. | We recommend that you complete the Plant the Pulai session prior to joining this activity. |
| Weather | This session will be postponed in the event of rain as it may not be safe to enter the trail. | This session will be postponed in the event of rain as it may not be safe to enter the trail. |
Donations will go towards the upkeep of the trail, additional plants for biodiversity and to cover the costs of the trail leader, with any surplus channeled towards consultation of scientists and experts to assist in documenting data on the flora and fauna within the Pulai Trail.
The meeting point for this activity is the FTS Bangsar Nursery on Jalan Limau Purut. We provide all the tools and equipment, and drinking water is available at the nursery for refills. Volunteers are advised to wear loose-fitting, long attire and shoes suitable for hiking and outdoor gardening work. Volunteers should bring their own mosquito repellent, sunscreen, hat and change of clothing.
Email the programme manager to book a volunteer date: pulai@freetreesociety.org
An ethos of being green and sustainable underpins all our activities. When attending, try to:
- Travel Green – travel via public transport or car pooling
- Manage Your Waste – recycle on site, compost, think zero waste
- F&B – bring your own water bottle; if you are bringing your own meal, do consider going vegetarian/vegan and be sure to go single-use plastic free (e.g. straws, cutlery and mineral water).
As part of our zero waste effort, FTS does not accept gifts/tokens such as t-shirts and mugs. While we appreciate the gesture, consider instead making a donation towards our programmes.
Trail Map
You are welcome to hike the trail at any time – let us know how it goes!
A History of the Pulai Trail
In 2016, Malaysian Nature Society initiated Urban Community Forest (UCF) with the involvement of local communities and NGOs to protect the last remaining green spaces in Bukit Persekutuan. The initiative became a network of like-minded communities and organisations in 2018. As part of the network, Free Tree Society Kuala Lumpur (FTS) is taking the lead in maintaining and conserving the Pulai Trail in Bukit Persekutuan, adjacent to our Bangsar Nursery. The trail area is a secondary forest of about forty to fifty years old, with vegetation that harks back to its past as a rubber plantation.
MNS recorded an impressive number of 53 species of birds (including migratory and non-migratory) in the overall area of Bukit Persekutuan. Among them, 34 species are totally protected and 3 species are protected by law. The addition of native plant species, undertaken with care and expert advice, would support existing wildlife and encourage the return of migratory species.
Meanwhile, an upcoming large-scale development taking up approximately 52 acres of land at the south border of Bukit Persekutuan is threatening the flora and fauna in the area. With many residents unaware of this urban green space, it is imperative that Bukit Persekutuan’s value as a forest in recovery be part of public consciousness before it is lost. Of the four forest trails in Bukit Persekutuan, the Heritage Trail is actively maintained by MNS.
The area also provides a unique linked green zone that stretches across Bukit Persekutuan to the Perdana Botanical Gardens (Lake Gardens) and Taman Tugu. It is currently zoned as a “kawasan hijau” (green space) but not gazetted as such. Its status in the draft Kuala Lumpur 2040 City Plan is unclear. Organisations are working towards the gazettement of the Bukit Persekutuan forest as a protected green space.
Free Tree Society is currently sourcing for funds to conserve and maintain the trail area. If you are interested in sponsoring/funding this much-needed urban forest conservation project, email us at pulai@freetreesociety.org.
