Locals, govt jointly work saving the river
Locals, govt jointly work saving the river
Residents, non-governmental organizations and local government
joined forces this month to rehabilitate part of the Ciliwung
River floodplain area.
The work, carried out under the umbrella of the National
Program of Regreening and Nature Conservation 2004, involved the
floodplain area in Jagakarsa, South Jakarta -- a border area
between Jakarta and Depok in West Java.
Organized by the Jakarta provincial administration, the
activity was marked by the planting of a mango tree by deputy
governor Fauzi Bowo. About 5,000 mujair (freshwater fish) and
more than 20 birds, including endangered Java finches, were also
set free.
The mujair were chosen because they could survive in the
current conditions of the Ciliwung River while the Java finches
were released to encourage the endangered species to breed,
regional environmental agency head Yunani Kartawiriya said.
The nature conservation program, involving a total of 1,610
trees, would be carried out in stages, starting from Srengseng
Sawah area, she said.
About 200 trees will be planted in the area and as many as 800
saplings have been prepared for the rehabilitation of a total of
18,400 square meters of open land here.
Meanwhile, 500 saplings will be given to the locals living
along the river bank in the Kebon Baru area of South Jakarta and
another 100 young trees are to be planted on a plot of critical
land measuring some 1850 square meters in Cawang, East Jakarta.
Still hundreds more will be given to several riverine
subdistricts.
"Planting these trees will favorably contribute to the
conservation of the river and the lives of the locals living
along the river's flood plains," Yunani said.
The trees chosen for planting include fruit trees -- mango,
melinjo, sapodilla, rambutan, soursop, tamarind and jackfruit.
"It is expected that in the next few years, the fruit of these
trees could be harvested," Yunani said.
The trees would also prevent landslides, absorb water, control
floods and serve as homes to many species of wildlife, she said.
A representative from the Kebon Baru area, Pahlevi R. Hakim, a
pioneer of the regreening movement, said that the trees would be
economically beneficial to the locals.
"Several people will be assigned to take care of these trees.
When they bear fruit, these people can harvest them," Pahlevi
said.
However, looking after the trees would not be easy, he said.
During the dry season, they would need intensive care and regular
watering, while during the wet, weeds and grasses had to be
regularly removed if the trees were to survive.
"This explains why not all residents are willing to take care
of hundreds of trees every day. Relevant institutions should at
least donate money to cover the cost of taking care of these
trees."
The Kebon Baru people had been given jackfruit, soursop and
tamarind trees, which took a long time to bear fruit, Pahlevi
said. Free fertilizer from the government would help their
development, he said.
It was not difficult to find vacant plots of land for
rehabilitation along the Ciliwung floodplain. What was needed, he
said, was for the government to give clear incentives to social
groups taking care of the rehabilitated areas. --Bambang Parlupi