Botanical Gardens broke, less frequented

Botanical Gardens broke, less frequented

By Sapto HP

JAKARTA (Antara): At 182 years old, Asia's oldest botanical
garden is groaning in pain due to the merciless economic crisis.

As Bogor Botanical Gardens, about 60 kilometers south of
here, celebrated its birthday on May 18, its coffers stand
drained because visits have drastically dropped since the crisis
began to strangle the country in July 1999. Visitors account for
its largest source of income.

Statistics show that visitations have dropped by up to 30
percent since the crisis broke out. The 80-hectare garden located
at the heart of Bogor is a popular recreational place and
shooting location for TV soap operas.

Meanwhile, the steep depreciation of rupiah against the U.S.
dollar has jacked up operational costs. A small example is the
cost of a grass cutter which has soared by 300 percent. The sharp
increase in operational costs has forced the management to
maximize the use of old equipment and facilities.

"The lowest rank and file are the hardest hit because their
income depends on the number of visitors," says the botanical
garden's chief Dedi Darnaedi.

The cut in the state budget has also affected the garden's
researchers, all from the Jakarta-based Indonesian Institute of
Sciences (LIPI). Research activities in the forests of
Kalimantan, Irian Jaya and Sumatra are affected.

"But their working spirit to explore plants in the garden is
still aflame," Dedi claims.

Lack of funds has forced the garden's management to celebrate
this year's anniversary in a modest fashion. There was neither
seminars nor dangdut music for Bogor folks.

"We gathered for a quite decent meal to please the employees,"
Dedi said.

Since it was founded in 1868, the Bogor Botanical Garden has
always been proud of having scientists with unquestionable
commitment to maintain its biodiversity.

Among the notable names are Japanese T. Nakai and Kanihera,
who were assigned by the Japanese occupation troops in 1941 to
oversee the garden which was then called the Botanic and
Herbarium Garden.

The two scientists were remembered for their courage to refuse
the Japanese colonial administration's plan to cut trees in the
garden for military purposes.

"We hope that anyone in power will have the commitment to
maintain the garden," says Dedi, the eighth Indonesian, or the
23rd since it was founded, who has led the botanical garden.

Researchers say that Nakai and Kanihera's determination to
maintain the garden has inspired them to keep working despite the
crisis.

In honor of the garden's researchers, many new species they
discovered have been named after them. At present, at least 70
plants bear the name of Indonesian researchers. For example, a
species discovered by Dedi which is endemic to Central Sulawesi
was given a scientific name of lecanopteris darnaedii hennipman.

The use of scientists' name in the terminology for the species
they discovered is said to have greatly motivated the researchers
to conduct new studies.

Scarce funding for research purposes have made researchers
turn to the private sector for cooperation. In the past, such
collaboration was established with the oil company Caltex to
explore plants in forests in Riau. A lot of new species were
found in the project.

Some researchers keep their spirits high despite the crisis.
Quite recently, they published reports on their findings about
plants they studied at the Bogor Botanical Garden.

The two reports are Koleksi Anggrek Kebun Raya Bogor (Orchid
Collection of Bogor Botanical Garden) and Koleksi Palem Kebun
Raya Bogor (Palm Collection of Bogor Botanical Garden).

It is this undampened spirit which has made it possible for
researchers to complete the preparation of a blue print for a
200-hectare botanical garden in Jambi.

The Bogor Botanical Garden has so far served as the
"headquarters" of other such gardens elsewhere in Indonesia,
which include Cibodas in West Java, Purwodadi in Central Java,
and Eka Karya in Bali.

The government will build more in Jambi, Central Kalimantan,
East Kalimantan, Wamena in Irian Jaya and Bengkulu,

The Bogor Botanical Garden was opened on May 18, 1817, by the
Dutch administration as part of its commitment to develop science
in its colony now known as Indonesia.

It was scientist Carl Reindwardt who proposed the development
of a botanical garden in Bogor to the East Indies governor Baron
van der Capellen. It was meant as a research center for plants of
high economic value and to conduct scientific research.

Reindwardt brought in plants from overseas and grew them
there. He was replaced by Teysman, who had no formal education
but was highly committed to develop the garden. Under his
leadership, the botanical garden was rearranged and beautified.

Tyesman is remembered as the one who took over the garden's
management from the Dutch military control.

The first Indonesian to lead the garden's management was
Sudjana Kasan in 1956. At present, the garden is managed by the
Indonesian Institute of Sciences.