This Johor-based initiative is aimed at proving that conservation and human habitation can coexist, while finding climate solutions.
These treehouses, made with traditional and all-natural building methods, are the result of efforts by the Rainforest Tree House eco-community. (Pheona Tay pics)
JOHOR BAHRU: As temperatures rise across Malaysia, remote areas – including highland refuges such as Gunung Pulai in Kulai, Johor – are warming. Yet, at its foothills, a small forest-based initiative is quietly showcasing resilience.
“Gunung Pulai used to feel cooler while hiking, but now it’s no different from the lowlands,” said Kak Ita, adjusting her headscarf as she stocked shelves at the neighbourhood convenience store.
Her observation mirrors what climate scientists have documented: forest ecosystems are slowly but surely heating up, affecting biodiversity and dependent communities.
Many villagers in Gunung Pulai say the weather has become increasingly unpredictable, affecting crops, water access, and even sleep during hotter nights.
But tucked away behind a handcrafted bamboo gate near Gunung Pulai’s base is the Rainforest Tree House, an eco-community that has quietly become a model of living in harmony with nature for over a decade.
Founded in 2014 by Tan Yong Yeow, better known as Yao, what started as one person’s determination to prove that forest conservation and human habitation can coexist has evolved into a “living laboratory” for climate solutions.
Based at the forest edge of Gunung Pulai, Rainforest Tree House aims to prove that conservation and human habitation can coexist. (Pheona Tay pic)
Weaving indigenous wisdom with sustainable innovation, they use traditional techniques like atap leaf weaving and bamboo construction, merged with upcycled ship planks, windows, and glass bottles.
The result is minimal-impact treehouses that embody the ethos of “less is more”.
“We want to show that humans can enhance, rather than degrade, natural systems,” said Yao, 42. “This philosophy extends to waste-reduction practices, including reusing plastics and composting with coffee grounds.”
Notably, Gunung Pulai functions as a key water catchment area, supporting cooler microclimates and local ecotourism. With up to 25,000 visitors annually, it is one of the most accessible nature reserves near Johor Bahru and Singapore.
Forestry officer Mohd Hazri Noh agrees that weather patterns have become less predictable in recent years.
“The dry season used to run from January to March like clockwork,” he said. “Now, the rainy season has shifted from October-December to November-January, and we are making closure decisions based on weather forecasts instead of local knowledge.”
Volunteers constructing a treehouse with upcycled wood. (Pheona Tay pic)
Indeed, climate change is beginning to transform natural advantages into risk factors. In 2001, a debris flow triggered by extreme rainfall killed five people and caused downstream flooding.
Study shows that Gunung Pulai’s geology is susceptible to erosion under heavy rainfalls, making these risks more likely with climate change. “In 2020, about 10 houses were hit by strong winds,” Kak Ita recalled.
Intangible value
Lim Voon-Ching, a senior lecturer from the faculty of forestry and environment at University Putra Malaysia, points out that forests like Gunung Pulai offer “intangible but critical” ecosystem services.
“Often, we focus on tangible resources like timber or water, but what we often neglect are intangible services such as emotional and mental well-being,” she explained.
Also significant are the spiritual and cultural aspects: the area holds deep significance for the Orang Asli, serving as sacred land and burial grounds.
Since 2014, Rainforest Tree House has been working with indigenous communities, especially the Semai-Temiar group, on building treehouses and infrastructure.
Salim, a Semai-Temiar who has been involved in the project since its inception, has witnessed firsthand how climate change is altering his surroundings.
The initiative has been working with Orang Asli, especially the Semai-Temiar, to build treehouses and infrastructure since 2014. (Pheona Tay pic)
“I used to sleep without a fan at night, now I need it more often,” he said. “Wildlife like wild boars and squirrels have disappeared. Even birds have moved to palm oil plantations, maybe for food.”
Despite the challenges, Salim chooses to remain rooted in the forest. “We grow our own food. In the city, you need money for everything.”
Yao shared that partnering with the Orang Asli was a deliberate decision. “They know the forest best. Our goal is to create jobs that respect and build on their local knowledge.”
Sustainable ecotourism
As climate change threatens traditional agriculture, sustainable ecotourism is emerging as a viable alternative livelihood that can help preserve forest cover.
Rainforest Tree House offers an example of this approach. Urban visitors who arrive seeking a forest retreat often leave as sustainability advocates, inspired by the eco-lifestyle and practices they encounter.
Children engage directly with nature by farming, exploring, and playing in the forest that doubles as their classroom.
Guests at Rainforest Tree House get to enjoy activities such as guided trekking, often accompanied by Yao (inset). (Pheona Tay pics)
Guests can experience slow living through vegetarian communal meals, stargazing, guided trekking and nature bathing. They put their devices away to connect with one another, leaving relaxed and renewed from authentic nature immersion.
The pandemic, alas, dealt a heavy blow, with six treehouses lost during prolonged closures. Yet, in rebuilding, Rainforest Tree House has shown resilience, demonstrating that climate adaptation is not only about infrastructure or technology but also social innovation.
In a region where development often comes at the expense of forests, Rainforest Tree House offers a valuable glimpse into what small-scale and low-waste ecotourism grounded in indigenous collaboration can look like.
Such models, however modest, hold lessons worth paying attention to.
For more information, follow Rainforest Tree House on Instagram.
This story was written by Pheona Tay as part of the PANAS! Climate Change Stories in Malaysia initiative by Science Media Centre Malaysia, with support from the International Science Council Regional Focal Point for Asia and the Pacific and the International Network for Governmental Science Advice Asia.
