Mangrove Information Center

When I visit the PPLH Bali center, the coordinator mentions that they sometimes take kids to the Mangrove Information Center on the South side of town. Curious, I decide to stop here next.

A mangrove doesn’t refer to a specific type of tree, but instead to any group of trees that grow between the high tide and low tide water lines. I find this out, and more, in the display cases arranged around the Mangrove Information Center. The center, which works to teach the public about mangroves, is another project supported by the Japanese organization JICA. This is the same organization that funds programs with the Indonesian National Park System, such as Gunung Halimun and Ujung Kulon NPs.

These coastal areas around Bali became particularly at risk as tourism started booming in the 1970s. As part of the coastal eco-system they prevent land erosion, and provide a safe harbor for fish to grow, they also provide ideal places for hotels and restaurants where one can sip mojitos and stare out at the sea. In 1992 this particular mangrove forest was designated as “Tahura” – grand forest park, and in 1993-1999 JICA and the Indonesian Department of Forestry started The Development of Sustainable Mangrove Management Project. This project resulted in data collection about the mangrove forest and the birds, crabs, and other wildlife that live inside. A nursery was also established to provide seedlings for the rehabilitation.

(The nursery)

While this project did result in rehabilitation of portions of the Mangrove forest, the deforestation going on was to a greater extent. That’s why from 2001-2006 JICA and the Forestry department decided to engage in a second project, The Mangrove Information Centre Project. This project focused on awareness through environmental education as well as an ecotourism aspect. The third and newest project, The Sub-Sectoral Programme on Mangrove, is currently underway from 2007-2010 and acts as a follow up to the other two programs by focusing on maintenance and resource monitoring. The lobby of the MIC clearly explains the work of all these projects, as well as a mini diorama of the Mangrove forest with original forest in dark green and rehabilitated area in light green. I continued my stroll through the center which includes several exhibit rooms talking about the function of Mangroves in the ecosystem and has large aquariums that mimic the mangrove habitat with creatures crawling around inside.

(Crab wildlife in the Mangrove Forest)

At the center I meet Yuni, Assistant Expert of JICA in Museum Management. She tells me about the different environmental education programs and the incorporation of ecotourism into the forestry management strategies. The MIC and nearby boardwalk were both created in 2003 and currently receive about 6,000 domestic guests a year, mostly students and teachers. Special projects are also held at the center, such as summer camps and a weeklong Mangrove Arts festival. At the festival local sculptures, painters, and cooks are invited to the Mangrove forest to find inspiration in the year’s theme (last year’s was “Hidden Beauty”). Then people from around the community come to see the art exhibits, and view/sample products from the cooking displays that use products from the forest. On the wall near to where we are talking, I can see the finalist from a kids drawing contest also held.

While the number of international visitors is much smaller, closer to 500 a year, many people come who have a special interest in the forest, like bird watching. Two tall hides have been built to cater to bird watchers. A 3km long trail winds through the mangrove forest, very solitary and silent except for the noises of nature one would expect. Acting as a barrier between the land and the sea, the Mangrove forest does suffer problems from rubbish being trapped among the roots. I had a very peaceful walk along the boardwalk, but as the sky began to darken I decided to come back early.

The Mangrove Information Center and hiking trail is located at:

Jl. By Pass Ngurah Rai km.21
Suwung Kauh Denpasar, Bali
62-361-726969
micjica@indosat.net.id

PPLH Bali

Tourism in Bali – one could write a book on that subject. Actually, there are 395 currently on Amazon when you type in “Bali Tourism.” This array of books ranges from tourism guides, to more academic materials discussing the impacts of having the island’s economy interlaced with tourism, as well as the crushing effects of the Bali bombings in 2002 and 2005.

From Gilimanuk, Java, I took a ferry across the straight to reach the island of Bali. From there buses travel past the scenic Western side of Bali and into the more developed Southern part of the island. When I visited the PPLH Center in East Java, the staff mentioned there was another center located in Bali, so I decide to check it out on my visit to the island. The center is in Sanur, a small beach town on the Southeast coast of Bali.

While the PPLH Bali environmental education center was formerly based at Hotel Santai, the hotel turned into a dive school, so the center moved about 6 months ago. The PPLH Bali center is now located at a quiet building on Jl. Hang Tuah Street. When I turn up at the new center, I’m warmly welcomed by Imade Hariana. Imade works to run and coordinate the programs at PPLH Bali. He admits it’s a smaller operation than the one in East Java, so instead of bringing people to their center, the staff travels to them.

Currently, the center operates a “Green School” program where they visit 5^th graders at 3 local schools once a week to introduce the environment and its problems to the kids. They also have other programs where they visit schools farther away for 2-3 day programs that teach about how to treat the environment and coastal areas. Partners of PPLH Bali include other local and international NGOs. They work with the foundation branch of the P.A.D.I. organization, which gives licenses to divers, in order to produce books on sea life to pass out. PPLH Bali also works with the Bali International Women’s Association, who sponsored a book on water monitoring using bio indicators. The book includes different animals to look for in order to determine the health of the water. Staff from PPLH goes with a “Green Team” of selected kids from local schools and try to identify the bio indicating animals in local water sources. This provides an interactive way for local children to learn about the health of the nearby water sources, with the goal being that these kids will then educate their friends.

Imade explains that environmental education currently isn’t a mandatory part of the school curriculum, so PPLH has also organized a group whose name loosely translates to, “Teachers Who Care about the Environment.” The group then discusses how to integrate environmental education into the class room as well as creative ways to keep kids interested. While I’m speaking with him, several young boys dressed in brown and white school uniforms stop by with a bag of empty bottles. In the Green School program, the PPLH staffers teach kids about proper waste disposal and the importance of recycling. They tell the kids how they can exchange plastic bottles and cans for cash. For those who can’t make it to the recycling center, PPLH pays them for bringing recycling to their office, and then during the afternoon the staff will drop it by the recycling center. Imade smiles as he mentions the kids are also welcome to use the onsite library and do their homework at the center, which often means helping with math problems.

While the work of PPLH Bali may not directly relate to tourism, the staff is trying to change local behaviors to the environment, which does interconnect with tourism. The growth of the tourism industry since the 1970s has created an incentive for developing land and has resulted in greater usage of natural resources. The PPLH center in Bali hopes that by educating kids about the importance and value of their environment, they will be keener to preserve and conserve it, thus producing a better place for people to visit and for them to live.

Rosa's Ecolodge

I reached the village of Sidomulyo in early afternoon by bus. The village, on the outskirts of Baluran National Park, is located in the NE corner of East Java and is home to the friendly Rosa’s Ecolodge. While most of Indonesia’s national parks consist of a rainforest environment, the Baluran NP is different in this aspect as it is savanna. The park’s fitting nickname is “Indonesia’s little bit of Africa.” Stepping off the bus I meet up with Rizal, one of the administrators of Rosa’s, who takes me on a short ride through the traditional Madurese village that skirts the park to reach the ecolodge. The cottages and main house are built in a Madurese inspired traditional style and the owners are the sociable Rosa and Rene, retirees who have expanded their house into an eco education lodge.

Though the place is small, only 8 rooms (so reserve in advance during the busy season), Rosa’s provides a very homey atmosphere. After speaking with them, it’s easy to see the owner’s dedication and concern for the surrounding area, both the park and local residents. The problems the park faces is sadly similar to other parks, illegal logging, poaching, and fishing using explosives and cyanide. The local community consists mostly of farmers who feel justified in taking the resources they need from their local environment, which they feel includes the national park. The hope of Rosa and her husband was to use the benefits of ecotourism to protect the park and develop the local community to prevent misuse of the national park. As I talk with them, I hear first hand many of the problems they face.

While Rosa and her husband’s intentions to help the park and the local area are genuine, they are struggling with “how” to make a difference. How does one stop people from just going and taking what they need from the park? How does one get locals, and park officials, to see the value of the park and to take care of it? How does one motivate villagers who are lethargic about hosting visitors? How does one train locals to take on more advanced responsibilities? And how does one find the energy to keep going?

While many villagers are set in their ways, Rosa’s Ecolodge hopes to change attitudes through education, especially by bringing awareness to the local children. All education projects are self funded from the lodge’s revenues, and include hiring rangers to speak at local schools, and taking local kids to the park’s main headquarters, about 22km away, to speak with rangers. While this environmental education center is at a smaller scale than the previous centers I visited in East Java, PPLH and Kaliandra, Rosa’s Ecolodge is working to make a difference in an area where there is little other involvement.

(Rice fields near the park)

While maybe not a “true” ecolodge, as the needs of her visitors do not always mesh with environmental sustainability, Rosa’s is certainly a comfortable place to stay with easy access to the park and a place where you know a portion of the room rates will be going back to aid the local community in various ways. Currently, Rosa is looking for an NGO, or motivated volunteers, to help in her mission to prevent damage to the park and enhance the local community.

To see Rosa’s webpage: http://www.rosasecolodge.com/

Margo Utomo Agro Resort

Unlike traditional mass tourism, agro tourism is an interesting niche industry that allows visitors to learn more about the agriculture products of a place, as well as the interconnection of these goods – both in production and use - within the local community. After leaving Mt. Bromo I had the opportunity to visit the Margo Utomo Agro Resort located in the small town of Kalibaru, East Java. This area is particularly well known for its plantations.

The founder of Margo Utomo, Mr. R. H. Moch inherited 9 hectares of plantation land from his father in the 1940s. After thirty years, and the addition of a dairy farm, Mr. Moch decided to evolve his business into one that showed tourists the interconnection between a plantation, its workers, and the land. The agro resort now includes 51 cottages and sparked the creation of Margo Utomo Cottages, which has 30 rooms. The style of both places is a mix of the colonial past integrated with traditional Javanese. Though Mr. Moch passed away in 2000, the Margo Utomo organization is still managed by his family.

I reached Kalibaru by bus. On arrival I was directed to Margo Utomo’s which is one block off the main street in town, and directly across from the train station. I waited in the open air lobby, decorated with a huge gamelan instrument set, to speak with Ms. Mariana, daughter of the late founder, and with Ms. Lynda Margaretha, head of marketing. Sitting down with the women, they told me a little more about the resort and their interaction with the local community. As a good-sized local business in a small town, the majority of their employees, about 99% of the150 workers, are locals. As Lynda explains, they have a very low turnover so it’s in everybody’s best interest to provide training to maximize the skills of the employees – this makes it easy for employees to switch roles, and those that learn English and/or Dutch also have the option of becoming guides. It was from their staff that they got the idea to start village tours to local home industries, like that of tofu and peanuts, thus allowing the guests more interaction with the local community and allowing tourism to compliment these other business sectors.

The Dairy farm, home to over 50 cows that produce milk, is still a central part of Margo Utomo. Besides providing a fun attraction to visitors, especially the baby cows, the milk and cheese produced is served at the local restaurant. The waste products produced is maybe of more value to the local area, as it is this natural organic fertilizer that is used on the plantation, and even sold to other plantations. In fact, it seems like a very holistic interaction between the 2 resorts, dairy farm, and plantation – guests visit the plantation, eat products produced from the dairy farm, and then the fertilizer is used to grow the crops at the plantation. As Ms. Mariana informs me, while at the present it’s primarily the fertilizer used that’s organic, in the next years they hope to switch their suppliers into providing organic food. Currently, they are working with local farmers to educate them about organic farming, as well as their staff on how to prepare food so that no MSG or other additives are included.

The ladies are kind enough to find a guide to take me around the plantation and dairy farm. The baby cows really are adorable with their big black eyes. I’m also shown how they produce brown sugar, which involves hours of boiling before it is finally at the right consistency to be used for the restaurant’s homemade cakes and desserts. In the back of the resort is the plantation. It’s filled with coffee, cocoa, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, and vanilla trees as well as local fruits, including durian. Large pits are dug in the ground, which the guide explains is to provide water during the dry season. All the plants are watered naturally, no sprinklers are used.

The Margo Utomo Agro Resort and Hill View Cottages seem to provide a pleasant type of alternative tourism that is low impact and compliments the local area. While they don’t currently have a responsible tourism policy, both women said it was a part of the plan for the near future. As they put it, guests are more willing to be critical of certain practices they don’t find sustainable, which means the hotels must step up to adopt new and alternative approaches.