Templer’s Park is a forest reserve in Klang Valley about 6km from Rawang and 22km from Kuala Lumpur. It was named after Sir Gerald Templer, a British High Commissioner in Malaya in the 1950s. In September 1954, the late Sultan Hishamuddin Alam Shah of Selangor announced that “Templer’s Park was to serve as a refuge and sanctuary for wildlife and a meeting-place for all who love and respect the beauty of nature”.

The forest reserve consists of multi-tiered waterfalls, jungle streams, and trekking trails, and is home to various kinds of flora and fauna, complemented by basic amenities such as picnic grounds, fishing spots, open-air parking lots, public toilets and stalls.

The park is surrounded by nature and wildlife that includes the park monkeys, serow (goat-antelopes), the Malaysian crested lizard, and various kinds of reptiles. Birdwatchers will have a field day with spotting hawk-cuckoos, crested serpent eagles, emerald doves, woodpeckers.

Entry to Templer’s Park is free, and is indicated by a large archway along the main road to Rawang on the right side if one is coming from Kuala Lumpur after making a u-turn. From the gateway, vehicles will enter a small recreational park with open-air parking lots. To further access beyond this point is barred by a gate that prohibits vehicles from entering, so visitors will have to take a 5-minute walk to reach the forest.

Residents living around Templer’s Park view the forest reserve as a nature retreat and recent developments have threatened the integrity and natural character of the reserve. Controversial developers have plans on constructing T-Parkland @ Templer’s Park which involves building high-end residences, a 17-storey tower block and golf courses. About 50 hectares of ongoing deforestation is also taking place for a road and more residences which will no doubt impact the quality of the streams in the park due to soil erosion if it continues.

Visitors have been advised to be cautious and wary when going to Templer’s Park. Waterfalls can be dangerous, especially during the rainy seasons as the water undercurrents are strong enough to drag a person under. Also, trekking deeper into the forest to reach a higher waterfall will require a group to stick together to avoid trouble. This is due to an incident that occurred in 2008 when a Danish man went missing for 12 hours in Templer’s Park before finally finding his way out of the jungle.