Aikon to map Jakarta green areas

JAKARTA: Jakarta is soon expected to have a comprehensive map highlighting the remaining green areas in the capital.

The map is being prepared by a group of volunteers coordinated by Aikon, an environmental organization led by Marco Kusumawijaya, a noted environmentalist and an expert on urban architecture.

Preparations conducted by his team includes listing all green areas in the capital, categorizing the green areas and conducting surveys to sample the areas.

The Jakarta Green Map, containing the Kemang Green Map, the Kebayoran Baru Green Map and the Thematic Map, will be issued in June.

City Governor Sutiyoso said that the city now had 6,000 hectares of open green space. That figure would be increased to 9,500 hectares within the next ten years to reach 14 percent of Jakarta's 63.744 hectares.

Environmentalists say that the ideal open green space in the city should be 30 percent of its total territory.