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