[01 Dec] Some 30,000 Rubber Trees Planted in South Barito, Indonesia

South Barito authorities have planted 30,000 rubber trees in an effort to preserve the ecosystem in Central Kalimantan Province.

The rubber trees were planted in an area called 'swamp and river ecosystem' which had earlier been gutted by fire, according to Arbani, an environmental activist helping managed the area.

The rubber trees were planted in a plot of land measuring 97 hectares at Muara Puning and Batilap villages, South Barito, he said.

The rubber trees were expected to help improve the economy of local farmers in the future, he said.

A number of fruit-bearing fruits were also planted in the area, he said.

According to the existing data, there were 107 species of plants in river bank areas of Barito, and 27 species of them had economic values, he said.

In the swamp and river ecosystem area, there were also 12 species of rattans, 10 species of medical plants, 32 non-wood plants, 22 species of fruit-bearing trees, 52 species of freshwater fish, 56 species of insects, 20 species of snakes, 54 species of birds, and 58 species of mammalians.

The swamp and river ecosystem program was implemented for the first time by Kehati (biological diversity foundation) in 2001-2007, by involving villagers among others from Teluk Sampudau, Bintang Kurung, Tampijak, Muara Puning, Batilap, Batampang, and Simpang Telo villages.

(Source: irco.biz)