Reforestation for Kaliurang resort

Reforestation for Kaliurang resort

YOGYAKARTA: Reforestation efforts will get underway soon on
200 hectares of land in the Kaliurang tourist area destroyed by
eruptions of the Merapi volcano.

The eruptions began three years ago, head of the provincial
forestry office Slamet Djumantoro told a group of provincial
council members visiting the location Saturday.

"We had proposed replanting 58 hectares of the forest but the
project failed when the mountain erupted again," Slamet told
Antara.

"The plan to regreen 200 hectares of the forest will be our
last effort to save the land. If the volcano erupts again and the
forests are destroyed, we will let the forest grow by itself."

Water sources downstream could be disrupted as the mountainous
areas would lack vegetation for a long period.

The 1994 eruption also cut into the number of tourists
visiting the area, he said.

In 1993, 106,600 people visited Kaliurang but dropped to an
annual average of 41,000 following the eruption. (sur)