Growing Native Plants, Protecting Indigenous Knowledge

Growing Native Plants, Protecting Indigenous Knowledge

From Earth Matters by BFM Media

April 13, 2026 · 36 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the efforts of Temuan women in Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Buloh to grow native plants and preserve indigenous knowledge through a community nursery.

In Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Buloh, a group of Temuan women are running a community nursery, growing native plants using knowledge rooted in the forest around them. Their work supports both livelihoods and conservation, while drawing on generations of lived experience and connection to the land. This has been brought together in “ A Guide to Our Nursery and Plants ”, a booklet shaped by the women’s knowledge and experiences, and produced under the Rantaian Urban Green Spaces or RUGS project by the Malaysian Nature Society , and done in collaboration with Gerimis Art Project . We chat with Wen Di Sia (Co-founder, Gerimis Art Project) and Sharon Yap (Art Director, Gerimis Art Project) who worked on the booklet, about the value of indigenous plants and knowledge, the women behind the nursery working to preserve this legacy, and what we can all learn from their work. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People in this episode

Guests: Wen Di Sia, Sharon Yap

Topics covered

  • native plants
  • indigenous knowledge
  • community nursery
  • conservation
  • livelihoods

Keywords

  • native plants
  • indigenous knowledge
  • community nursery
  • conservation
  • Temuan women

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Gerimis Art Project, Malaysian Nature Society

Books & works: A Guide to Our Nursery and Plants

Places: Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Buloh

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