People urged to take active role in forest conservation

Wasti Atmodjo, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar | Wed, 07/28/2010 10:49 AM | Bali
A | A | A |

The Bali Forestry Office has implemented community-based seed-planting programs in 77 villages across Bali as part of a national program to mobilize communities in forest conservation.

The head of the office, A.A.N. Buana, said they would distribute Rp 3 billion in funds from the provincial budget to run the program until the end of 2010.

"This national program is in line with our plans to empower individual communities," he said.

Through the program, the office's field staff would train villagers on how to cultivate seeds of rare plants in effective ways in a "transfer of technology from experts to the communities".

The first priority was to cultivate productive plants, which have high economic value. Farmers would be able to benefit from the wood or fruit of those plants, he said.

There are a number of endangered plants as well as productive fruit plants such as mangosteens and mango, which can be cultivated through the program.

The program also encourages active participation by locals in preserving forest areas and rare plant species. In terms of economic value, farmers will be able to sell plant seeds as well as harvest the plants' yields.

"Some trees have high economic value as they produce high quality wood fit for handicrafts and art works," he said.

The office, he said, would help local farmers select the best plants for their respective to take advantage of geographically specific soils, water abundance and other factors.

Buana said since 2008, the office had delivered one million seeds to 66 local farmer groups in Jembrana, Buleleng, Klungkung, Tabanan, Gianyar and Karangasem regencies.

I Gusti Made Oka Ratawan, a farmer who once worked at the forestry office, said he was glad to hear about the program.

Ratawan now grows various rare plants such as mejanggau, a native plant of Bali.

"Many people are unaware of the richness of native Balinese plants. They plant them in their homes without knowing their economic value," he said.

The program would encourage other farmers to cultivate the endangered plants, which are good for medicinal purposes, he said.