Indonesia Proposes 3 National Parks to be World Biosphere Reserve

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia planned to propose three national parks to be listed in the world biosphere reserves in the 30th session of the Man and the Biosphere programme International Co-ordinating Council of (MAB-ICC) Unesco that will be held on July 23-28, 2018 in Palembang.

“We will propose nominations to three biosphere reserves including Berbak Sembilang in South Sumatera and Jambi, Sentarum Betung Kerihun Lake, Kapuas Hulu in West Kalimantan and Rinjani in West Nusa Tenggara," said MAB Unesco National Organizing Committee Head Enny Sudarmonowati in Auditorium of Sasana Widya Sarwono building at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Jakarta, on Monday, May 14.

MAB-ICC is an annual event held by Unesco to discuss the development of biosphere reserves in a bid to recover the ecosystem. Indonesia is the fifth host following other countries that previously became the host; Jeju (South Korea), Dresden (Germany), Jonkoping (Sweden), and Lima (Peru).

There are 669 biosphere reserves spread in 120 countries around the world. Indonesia, Enny Enny who is also a Deputy of Life Science at LIPI mentioned, currently has 11 reserves.

“And now we will propose 3 new reserves. We expected those will be approved by Unesco in Palembang later,” said Enny. “Thus, Indonesia will have 14 biosphere reserves.”

MAB-ICC Unesco has given a chance for the country to prove that Indonesia is rich in environmental resources. The event is also a way to promote Indonesia’s excellence.

“As the host, Indonesia needs to take a role in proposing a recommendation such as nominating a new biosphere reserve Berbak Sembilang,” Enny underlined.

MOH KHORY ALFARIZI