Developing New Botanic Gardens in Indonesia

Center of Plant Conservation Bogor Botanic Gardens plays an important role in conserving Indonesia’s plants species, enhancing research to promote conservation and sustainable use of tropical plant resources and promoting environmental education to raise public awareness and knowledge on plants and environment. However, the four existing botanic gardens (Bogor, Cibodas, Purwodadi and Ekakarya Bali Botanic Gardens) cannot accommodate the diversity and satisfy the needs of an increasing number of Indonesians for such public facilities. As a large country blessed with an extremely rich biological diversity, the interest expressed by various local governments to collaborate with the Bogor Botanic Gardens to set up new botanical gardens is encouraging. To some extent, it may reflect the growing public appreciation towards the function of the botanic gardens as the center for plant conservation and environmental education, and as a public amenity. Appropriate assistance for the establishment of new botanic gardens as ex situ conservation area was one of the main programs of Bogor Botanic Gardens from 2005 to 2009. Recently 19 new gardens have been initiated in 16 provinces in Indonesia. Bogor Botanic Gardens undertook a thorough study to determine the suitability of the proposed areas by evaluating the fitness of the site, the local government’s commitment in ensuring the continuity of the project and the support of the local community. Bogor Botanic Gardens acts as a facilitator that provides advice on some basic principles of botanic gardens management and technical assistance related to the design of master plan, plant collection and training for the staff. Proc. of Penang Botanic Gardens Symposium 2011: The role of the Penang Botanic Gardens: Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century. School of Biological Science Univ. Sains Malaya, 2012. Hal. 14-21 ISBN 978-967-394-088-2