Protect RI flora

Protect RI flora

From Kompas

I often meet foreign tourists either from Europe, Australia or Asia, visiting our forests to collect seeds of certain flora. For example, a Japanese tourist recently went to Pagar Gunung in Bengkulu to look at the blossoming rafflesia. With the help of a local villager he also collected seeds and vegetation that interested him. The Japanese tourist then continued his trip by land instead of by air from Bengkulu and made a stop at several places to add to his collection. He then left Indonesia through another airport.

I do not know whether the government has issued special regulations on this matter. I am sure that many species are taken abroad and cultivated in greenhouses. If we do not take special care of our natural richness many species may be under threat of extinction. This must become our concern and we must give particular attention to the conservation of our rare species.

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