Rare trees planted at IPB

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Some 360 trees of 30 rare species were planted on Saturday on a 1.2-acre plot of land in the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) compound during a bank-sponsored project.

Included in the 30 rare species are Nagasari, Ebony, Matoa, Cempaka, and Gandaria. The planting was sponsored by the privately-owned Bank Bali.

"We chose IPB because this is the institution capable of further research and development of these rare species. The choice of the species had been recommended by the forestry department and the Indonesia Science Institute," said the bank's director, Agam Napitupulu. "These kinds of tree are not really uncommon to people, but they are rarely planted anymore," he added.

The president of IPB, Soleh Solahuddin Phd, in his speech upon receiving the trees and the grant from the bank director, expressed concern over the fact that the institute is only one among the top 10 state-owned universities to have successfully reforested campuses. "We should have been the first. From now on, we should strive to be at least in the top three," he said.

The spokesperson for the bank, Dian Syarief, also told The Jakarta Post after the planting that the exercise was still relevant to the commemoration of Earth Day last month. (18/26)