Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Mayor of Bogor Bima Arya ask manager Bogor Botanical Garden (KRB) stopped operating night tours with lights or lights glow until there are research results from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and IPB University.
The request was conveyed by Bima at the Bogor City Hall, Tuesday (28/9), after a dialogue with the KRB manager from PT Mitra Natura Raya (MNR).
Bima conveyed to the KRB manager that there was a letter from botanists, former KRB leaders, who expressed objections to the planned night tourism operation in the plant conservation area.
He requested that BRIN and IPB University conduct a scientific study related to night tourism in KRB that utilizes floodlights, it is feared that it could disrupt plant habitats and existing ecosystems.
“The night tour will be stopped until there is a study by BRIN and IPB University experts. The results of this scientific study are very important as a basis for deciding whether the night tour can be operated or not,” he was quoted as saying. Between.
Bima also assigned the Head of the Environmental Service, Deny Wismanto, to help coordinate BRIN and IPB, to carry out the study.
“Whatever the answer is from BRIN and IPB, we will communicate it again with PT MNR. In principle, we want to make sure everything goes according to the character of Bogor City and the potential that exists in KRB,” he said.
Five former heads of KRB have written an open letter to address the night tour that will be operated by the KRB manager, namely PT MNR.
The intended night tour is a glow tour, which is a light game destination with trees in the background. This glow tour is considered to be able to disrupt the lives of pollinating animals and insects in KRB.
The five former KRB leaders were Prof. Dr. Made Sri Prana (1981-1983), Prof. Dr. Usep Soetisna (1983-1987), Dr. Ir Suhirman (1990-1997), Prof. Dr. Dedy Darnaedi (1997-2003), and Dr. Irawati. (2003-2008).
The open letter was addressed to the Main Secretary of BRIN, Plt. Director of BRIN Research and Innovation partnership, Plt. Director of the management of the BRIN Scientific Collection, Plt. Head of the BRIN Conservation Research Center office, and President Director of PT MNR, dated 20 September 2021.
|
Glow Bogor Botanical Gardens. (Screenshot of @glowkebunraya app)- – |
BRIN Respond to Glow KRB
Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Laksana Tri Handoko responded to the plan to stop operating night tours with lights or glow.
He explained that botanical gardens have five main functions, namely conservation, research, education, tourism, and environmental services. According to him, the five functions require innovation so that their benefits are optimally perceived by the public.
Handoko said that commercial activities in the Botanical Gardens have existed for a long time. He explained the existence of cafes, guest houses and even hotels, commercial photography, signifying the business going on.
“Currently it is the same, but hotels have been closed since before the pandemic. But currently all commercial activities are managed by partners with clear business relationships so that state revenues are more optimal, and their management is transparent and accountable,” said Handoko in a written statement.
Plt. BRIN’s Deputy for Research and Innovation Infrastructure, Yan Rianto, said that the education and tourism functions at the Bogor Botanical Gardens will showcase innovations to engage the widest possible public to come to visit the botanical gardens.
“The innovative program called Glow is inspired by various botanical gardens abroad that hold night tours. Several countries already have night tourism programs in their botanical gardens,” he said.
“Glow is also not held every day, currently only Saturday and Sunday, and in the future a maximum of 4 times a week,” he added.
A number of botanical gardens that have a program similar to Glow include the Desert Botanical Garden (Phoenix, Arizona), Singapore Botanic Gardens (Singapore), Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (Miami, USA), Atlanta Botanical Garden (Atlanta), and the Botanical Garden Berlin ( German).
(Between/pmg)
– .
