[OGD] park (Indonesia)

"the orchid park...
in Selimbau subdistrict, Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Kalimantan.
...
Muhamad Walidad...
spends much of his time watching over the... orchid park located near the 
cemetery of the Selimbau kings...

"Every week, I conduct a routine patrol together with some cousins and two 
young leaders here.
Using a small boat, we patrol the cemetery complex because in that complex 
there are hundreds of rare orchids.
One of them is the black orchid," Walidad says.

In 2007, Uju Saharman first found the orchids that grow near the Selimbau 
royal cemetery complex.
He knew about orchids after getting information about the plant from the 
NGO Riak Bumi and also from an orchid researcher at the Center for 
International Forestry Research (CIFOR).

"Based on Uju's report, we have tried watching over that area because the 
plants are our natural resources....
"The other issue is that the orchids are located only 5 meters from our 
ancestors' graves. These are the graves of the Selimbau kings, and some 
months ago all the Selimbau customary law leaders officially announced the 
location would become an orchid park," Walidad says.

To get to the park, visitors must first go through the cemetery complex.
In December last year, Kapuas Hulu Regent Tambul Husing named the 4-hectare 
native orchid park part of a protected forest.

"Apart from the decisions made as a result of an assembly of traditional 
leaders at the Selimbau Palace in mid-December last year, we issued a 
warning, not just for Indonesian citizens but also for foreigners.

"The warning says that if an Indonesian citizen is found stealing orchids 
in that region, they must pay a fine of Rp 2 million (US$185) per orchid. 
For foreigners stealing orchids, the fine is $2,000. These fines are in 
place to deter thieves," he said.

According to Walidad, the issue of most concern at the present is the 
opening of the area to oil palm plantations.
These have been planned by companies around the Lake Sentarum National Park 
(TNDS).
Selimbau subdistrict lies within one of the areas in the TNDS region.

Although still only a plan, the companies' managements, together with 
subdistrict staff have held several meetings and are still discussing the 
proposals with the community.
The issue has polarized the community.
"Community members who are against the idea believe that an oil palm 
plantation could damage the environment..." Walidad says.

"If that plantation opens, we will lose the forest and all its rare species.
Apart from that, we will also lose water because oil palms consume a lot of 
water.
So that's why I hope this issue will get attention from the government."

These hopes are based on a 2003 regent decree that established Kapuas Hulu 
regency as a protected area.
The regency houses two national parks, the TNDS and the Betung Kerihun 
National Park (TNBK).

"We are rich in resources. We have abundant fish in Lake Sentarum, we have 
tropical forests and the rare orchid. We need help to protect them," 
Walidad said."

URL : 
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/10/muhamad-walidad-pondering-fate-black-orchid.html

***************
Regards,

VB

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