Govt to develop three more botanical gardens

Govt to develop three more botanical gardens

Musthofid and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government is developing three more botanical gardens in a
bid to prevent the country's biodiversity from extinction,
according to a researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences
(LIPI).

Endang Sukara, who is LIPI's deputy chairman in charge of
biotechnology, told The Jakarta Post on Monday that the three
botanical gardens are located in Jambi (Sumatra), Baturaden
(Central Java) and Wamena (Papua).

"Ideally, all provinces in Indonesia should have botanical
gardens to ensure the protection of biodiversity," Endang said.

Indonesia is the second richest country in the world in terms
of biodiversity after Brazil. Having around 30,000 species,
Indonesia is hailed as the "mega-diversity" country.

But the status is changing as Indonesia is becoming a "Hot
Spot" and has been labeled as the country with the longest list
of species that are in danger of extinction, according to Endang.

The three botanical gardens will be built on around 600
hectares of biodiversity conservation land. The project will be
carried out in cooperation with the Botanical Gardens
Conservation International (BGCI) and the Hong Kong and Shanghai
Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC).

They will add to the list of Indonesia's botanical gardens to
seven. The current four are in Bogor and Cibodas (West Java),
Purwodadi (East Java) and Bedugul (Bali).

Dedy Darnaedi, another LIPI researcher in charge of the
development of the botanical gardens, said they began the project
in Jambi in 2000 and planting had already started.

"We began even earlier in Wamena, but we have yet to reach an
agreement with the local people about the land border issue," he
said.

"In Baturaden, we have already finished mapping the area and
are about to finalize the master plan," he added.

Dedy said Indonesia's biodiversity was in danger of extinction
due to the rapid pace of deforestation, which was attributed to
forest concessionaires, forest fires and illegal logging.

The World Bank has sent its warning that if the current rapid
pace of deforestation continues, Indonesia will see the
disappearance of Sumatra's lowland forests in 2005, with
Kalimantan to follow in 2010.

"The lowland forest is home to biodiversity. That's why we are
very much concerned with its conservation," Endang said.

He also revealed a plan to hold an international congress of
botanical gardens in Bali next year, where Indonesia will have an
opportunity to gather experts from around 500 botanical gardens
in the world.