Sutiyoso fronts idea for mangrove eco-tourism<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso on Friday hinted that his administration was
\nmulling over a plan to turn a section of the coastal mangrove
\nforest in Muara Angke, North Jakarta, into an ecotourism site.<\/p>\n
"There are hundreds of monkeys there in the forest ... now
\nthey are in poor condition. As we want to restore the ecosystem,
\nwe plan to, at the same time, convert the area into an ecotourism
\nsite, just like they've done in Singapore," he announced to the
\npublic.<\/p>\n
He had just returned from a helicopter tour to check on the
\nlocation along with head of the City Agriculture and Forestry
\nAgency, Peni Susanti.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said that he wanted the planned tourist destination
\nto be similar to the one in Sangeh, Bali, where visitors could
\ninteract with monkeys that live freely in the recreational site.<\/p>\n
"In the near future, we will first build access to the area
\nand restore the surrounding area. I don't think it will cost us
\nmuch money," he said, adding that the funding for such a project
\ncould be taken from the city budget.<\/p>\n
The mangrove forest is also near the site of a large city
\nreclamation project, which will convert the coastal
\nswamp\/mangrove area into a residential and commercial area.<\/p>\n
Peni claimed that the development of an ecotourism site inside
\nthe Muara Angke mangrove forest was part of efforts to regreen
\nthe capital.<\/p>\n
"We plan to increase the green areas in the city to 13.9
\npercent of Jakarta's area by 2010, from the current 9 percent,"
\nsaid Peni.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has a total area of 63,744 hectares.<\/p>\n
Government Regulation No. 63\/2002 on city forest stipulates
\neach city should have at least 10 percent green areas.<\/p>\n
The forest acts, among other things, as the city's lungs,
\nwater catchment area and maintaining the balance of the
\necosystem.<\/p>\n
Peni revealed that the city administration had reclaimed five
\ngreen areas last year, and planned to issue another gubernatorial
\ndecree on protected green areas to claim four more city forests.<\/p>\n
The first five are the urban forests in Srengseng and in the
\ncampus of the University of Indonesia, both in Depok, south of
\nJakarta, Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, the Halim Perdanakusumah
\nairbase and Sunter dam.<\/p>\n
Four forests could also be declared protected areas, such as
\nin Manggala Wanabakti building compound in Senayan, South
\nJakarta, also forests in Cibubur, Rawa Dongkal and the compound
\nof the Army Special Forces (Kopassus) in Cijantung, all in East
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
"The gubernatorial decrees would ensure that the urban forests
\ncould not be used for other purposes," Peni said.<\/p>\n
Environmental activists have blasted the city administration
\nfor its failure to protect green areas, such as parks, wooded
\nmedian strips and urban forests across the capital from being
\noccupied by more than 350 commercial buildings, including 350
\nfuel stations.<\/p>\n
The activists say Jakarta should comprise 30 percent of green
\nspace, including forests, to keep the capital in ecological
\nbalance.<\/p>\n
.pl
\n.rm<\/p>\n
Existing City Forests<\/p>\n
Locations<\/p>\n
Srengseng, South Jakarta 15 hectares
\nUniversity of Indonesia campus, Depok 55.4 hectares
\nNational Military Headquarters, Cilangkap, East Jakarta 15 hectares
\nKemayoran, Central Jakarta 4.6 hectares
\nManggala Wanabakti, Central Jakarta 4 hectares
\nArboretum Cibubur, East Jakarta 25 hectares
\nPluit dam in North Jakarta 6 hectares
\nRawa Dongkal small lake 4 hectares
\nBabakan small lake, South Jakarta 5 hectares
\nMangga Bolong small lake 2.3 hectares
\nSpecial Army Forces, Cijantung, East Jakarta 10 hectares
\nSrengseng, West Jakarta 15 hectares
\nPT Jakarta Industrial Estate, East Jakarta 11.5 hectares
\nRagunan Zoo, South Jakarta 10 hectares
\nSunter dam, North Jakarta 8.5 hectares
\nPondok Indah, South Jakarta 5 hectares
\nGedung Pemuda Cibubur, East Jakarta 10 hectares
\nBlok P, South Jakarta 1 hectares<\/p>\n
Total area 195.8 hectares<\/p>\n
Source: City Agriculture and Forestry Agency<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sutiyoso-fronts-idea-for-mangrove-eco-tourism-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }