Professor laments lack of green areas
Professor laments lack of green areas
JAKARTA (JP): An ideal amount of space for city green areas in
the capital is becoming more difficult to acquire due to the
shortage of land, an expert said yesterday.
"I suggest the city administration should optimize any space
it has, such as in residential areas, parks, roads and at
roadsides," Zoer'aini Djamal Irwan, a landscape studies professor
told The Jakarta Post.
Zoer'aini was inaugurated as a professor at the Trisakti
University yesterday. She is the country's first female professor
majoring in landscape study.
The 54-year-old professor was born in Talawi, Sawahlunto, West
Sumatra. She has been involved in a large number of environmental
and regreening research projects in many areas of the country.
The mother of four children, she has also written more than 100
articles for local publications.
She said ideally, 40 percent of the land in the city would be
used for green areas, "But it is almost impossible now," she
added.
Currently, only 10 percent of Jakarta, with a total area of
65,000 hectares, is used for green areas, including 465 small
parks.
The city administration has been trying to provide more green
areas to reach 30 percent, or 19,500 hectares.
The City Council has urged the city administration to step up
its plan to restore the function of 290 parks, which are being
used for other purposes.
However, some gas stations in the city, which were located in
parks, had their permits revoked by the city administration to
make room for more green areas.
But currently, only 25 of the 290 parks have been turned back
to their original function.
She said city officials involved in the regreening project
should have proper knowledge about taking care of plants. She
cited the Program Sejuta Pohon (one million plants) campaign as
an example, which was launched by the administration recently.
"So many plants have died because no one knows how to take care
of them. This is a weakness which needs to be overcome," she
said. (jun)