Forest trampling threatening Rafflesia habitat

Antara 19 Feb 11;

Bengkulu, Bengkulu province (ANTARA News) - Trampling activity in Bukit Daun register 5 Protected Forest in Kepahiang and Central Bengkulu district is endangering the habitat of the rare flower species, Rafflesia Arnoldi, an observer said.

"Trampling in the protected forest keeps occurring as there is no supervision by the authorities posing a threat to the existence of the rare flower Rafflesia arnoldi," a spokesman of the Rare Flower Conservation Forum, Tebat Monok Holidin, said here Saturday.

According to Holidin, of the 14,610 hectare area of Bukit Daun Protected Forest, only four hectares of Rafflesia habitat were still in good condition.

In the four-hectare area which is rugged and protected by the the forum, the rare flower can be easily found as it could not be transformed into plantation area, while the other flat lands had been turned into coffee plantations.

Therefore, the rare flower was more often found on a cliff of the forest than on the ground as the host plants, liana sp, were plenty on the cliff, Holidin said.

The rare flower conservation forum which has 7 members has been 5 years protecting the host plants from deforestation, Holidin said.

"The Bukit Daun Protected Forest and Taba Penanjung Conservation Area are actually the habitat of the host plants but deforestation is getting worse and made the hosts hard to find," Holidin said.

Moreover, A blossoming Rafflesia at kilometer 52 of Bengkulu-Kepahiang Distirct was found on a forest cliff with a 60-degree angle, Holidin said, adding that there was another flower bud, at a size of a soccer ball, that was predicted to fully blossom one month from now. (*)

Editor: B Kunto Wibisono