Toba 'orchid paradise' yields 200 new species

Scientistssay they have found almost 200 new species of orchids in the Eden Park touristforest in Sionggang village in Toba Samosir, North Sumatra.

A group led by botanists and orchid experts Ria Telambanua and Michele Siraithas been exploring the area for years.

“We’ve successfully identified almost 200 species of forest orchids afteralmost four years of research. We intentionally haven’t published any of themfor the sake of preservation,” Ria said on Sunday in Toba Samosir.

The discovery of new orchid species was typically followed by large-scaleexploitation, she said.

The researchers identified the new species by identifying morphologicaldifferences, using orchid catalogues and by consulting with experts.

“This area is an orchid paradise. It has extraordinary natural riches. Thereare thousands more orchid species that have yet to be identified here,” shesaid as quoted by Antara.

Ria and Michele will launch a book on the new species late next month, Riasaid, adding that a portion of the profits would be donated to orchid experts.

Ambon to host next sail Indonesia

Indonesiahas opened Southeast Asia's largest marine park in the Savu Sea, a migrationroute for almost half the world's whale species and home to vast tracts of rarecoral, the country's fisheries minister said.

Environmental groups, The Nature Conservancy and WWF will help set up thereserve, where efforts will be made to stamp out illegal practices such asdynamite and cyanide fishing. Tourism activities and subsistence fishing bylocals will be allowed but restricted to certain areas.

The Savu Marine National Park, launched at the World Ocean Conference inManado, Sulawesi, will cover 3.5 million hectares (8.649 million acres) in anarea of 500 species of coral, 14 species of whales and 336 species of fishliving in the Savu Sea near Flores in eastern Indonesia.

"(It is) potentially one of the largest marine protected areas in theCoral Triangle," Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Freddy Numberisaid on Wednesday.

He was referring to the biologically diverse coral reef network bounded by Indonesia,Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and the SolomonIslands.

"About 14 species out of 27 -- meaning 50 percent -- species of whales inthe world migrate using this route from the Pacific Ocean, passing through theBanda Sea, Flores Sea and Savu Sea to the Indian Ocean," said Numberi.

Rili Djohani, The Nature Conservancy's marine expert, said the park willprotect sea turtles, dolphins, sharks and could help boost tuna stocks byprotecting their spawning grounds.

"It's a beautiful place and it's now the largest marine protected area inthe Coral Triangle," she said.

Malukureefs have huge eco-tourism potential: Official

TheBanda Islands in Maluku are home to more than 60 percent (or 432) of theworld's 700 coral species, which is why most of the province's waters areincluded in the Coral Triangle, an official says.

Maluku is unique in that unlike any other Indonesian province, more than 90percent of its waters are included in the coral triangle, known for its highbiodiversity, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry research officialGellwynn Jusuf said.

"This area really has huge potential," Gellwynn told The Jakarta Postin Maluku on Monday.

The area's marine biodiversity had led the Indonesian government to come upwith the Coral Triangle Initiative - proposed for the first time during theAsia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC) summit in 2007.

The initiative, Gellwynn said, was aimed at protecting coral reefs from damagecaused by global warming.

If managed optimally and effectively, Maluku's marine areas could yield higheconomic returns, he said. With vast areas of coral reefs, Maluku is rich infish and other sea biota including decorative fish species.

Fish species found in Maluku waters include the Black spotted Puffer, Trumpetfish, Anemones, Juvenile Damselfish, Porcupine fish, Ornate Ghost Pipefish,Scorpion Fish, Lizard fish, Moray Eels, Seahorses and Banded Sea Snakes.

Ambon to host next sail Indonesia

Ambonmay become the site of the next annual Sail Indonesia next year.

"Next year there was a plan to organize it (Sail Indonesia) in Ambon. Itwas also suggested that the location would be in Banda Sea," Minister ofMarine and Fishery Affairs, Freddy Numberi said here Sunday.

The moving of the location of the event, he added, was aimed at improving theeconomy of other areas in the country.

He said that the economic growth of North Sulawesi following the World OceanConference/WOC) in May 2009, and the implementation of Sail Indonesia inBunaken reached 8 percent.

"Although most of the sightseers were domestic tourists, at this such anevent could at least revive the economy," Freddy added.

Therefore, he hoped Ambon would draw a lesson from Sail Bunaken, to enable thelocal government concerned to cover the shorcomings of Sail Indonesia inManado.

At least he reminded that the local administration or private circles would nothesitate to make an investment or build the necessary facilities andinfrastructure to support the anual event.

Learning from the implementation of the WOC, Freddy said, the money that hadbeen spent on the construction of facilities by the government or privatecircles may be regained by almost twofold.

Maluku preparing for sail Banda 2010

Aftera successful Sail Bunaken 2009 in Manado, North Sulawesi, the Maritime Affairsand Fisheries Ministry will organize a similar international event in Banda,Central Maluku, next year.

To be called Sail Banda 2010, the event would be the brainchild of Maritime andFisheries Minister Freddy Numberi, Alex Retraubun, director general of coastalarea and small island affairs at the maritime and fisheries ministry, said.

"The Banda Islands are known worldwide for their historical significanceand undersea natural beauty, and therefore Maluku will host Sail Banda2010," Retraubun said in the eastern Indonesian city of Ambon recently.

Banda is known as the original and only source of the once precious spices,nutmeg and mace, trade commodities that had a significant impact on worlddevelopments in the 15th century.

Early European reports described the tropical Banda Islands as a jewel-likecluster surrounded by crystal waters and brilliant coral reefs, and the mostbeautiful cluster of islands in Maluku.

Banda is made up of eleven small volcanic islands namely
Neira, Gunung Api, Banda Besar, Rhun, Ai, Hatta, Karaka, Manukan, Nailaka,Syahrir and Batu Kapal.

Syahrir island or formerly known as Pisang Island, and Batu Kapal Island whichcombine well for a morning dive, a picnic on the beach, and an afternoon diveare just 20 minutes by boat from the hotels on the town of Banda Neira.

All those Banda islands offer stunning tropical scenery, a remarkable history,friendly villages, and some of the globe`s most pristine, biologically diversecorral reefs which are good for that international event later next year.

Therefore members of Sail Banda 2010 international committee from variousmaritime countries will soon arrive to survey three locations in Maluku forconsideration as the event`s venue.

Maluku provincial administration`s communication and information spokesman,Bakrie Lumbessy said in Ambon recently that the committee members would in thenear future survey three locations, namely Lucipara islands in the Banda Sea,Banda Islands, and a diving site in Southwest Maluku district.

"Soon the international committee of Sail Banda 2010 will visit Maluku tosurvey the three locations in the province," Lumbessy said.

He said the same committee had successfully organized the Sail Bunaken event in
North Sulawesi which was participated in by hundreds of sail boats and yachtsfrom various countries last August.

According to Lumbessy, all the three locations for the Sail Banda 2010 offerundersea panoramas featuring many coral reefs and ornamental fish.

"Especially for an undersea flag raising ceremony, it will be conducted inone of the outlying islands in Southwest Maluku district," Lumbessy saidreferring to Wetar, Kisar, Romang, or Maupora islands.

He said Sail Banda 2010 was scheduled to run from July 27 to August 28, 2010and to be participated in by hundreds of sail boats and yachts from variouscountries around the world.

The Banda Sea which is known to have the deepest basin in the world also hadareas abounding in colorful coral reefs and ornamental fish on which visitorscould feast their eyes.

Banda islands also had various cultural tourist spots and famous historic sitesthat had been named by UNESCO as one of the world`s cultural heritages.

The Maluku provincial administration`s information and communication office hadalso asked for the active role of the press in the province and all elements ofthe public to jointly make Sail Banda 2010 a success.

Meanwhile, the national shipping company PT Pelni is also ready to help makethe Sail Banda 2010 event a success by putting more ships into service on itsroute to the Banda Islands in Central Maluku, a spokesman said.

Bachtiar, head of PT Pelni`s Ambon branch office, said in Ambon that thenational shipping company felt it bore the moral responsibility to support theinternational maritime event in Banda.

"The exact date of Sail Banda 2010 has actually yet to be confirmed but weat PT Pelni are ready to help make the event a success," Bachtiar said.

He said the company was currently operating MV Ciremai and MV Kelimutu on itsroute to Banda in Central Maluku, Tual in Southeast Maluku, and a number ofports in West Papua and Papua.

Asked if the number of ships for Banda would be increased in the runup to SailBanda 2010, Bachtiar said it was the responsibility of PT Pelni`s head officeto decide.

"But because Sail Banda 2010 is an international event, I think there willbe a good coordination between the transportation ministry and PT Pelni toincrease the number of ships sailing to Banda," Bachtiar said.

Meanwhile, Maluku Culture and Tourism Office spokesperson Florence Sahusilawanesaid Sail Banda 2010 is expected to reflect an international shippingexpedition.

She said the international event is being designed by adopting the past periodof "hongitochten", punitive expeditions conducted by the Dutch tosuppress uprisings in Seram, particularly in the clove-rich peninsula ofHoamoal and nearby islands with traditional boats.

Therefore, Sahusilawane called on villages across Maluku which have typicaltraditional boats to take part in and liven up the Sail Banda 2010.

She said the promotion of Sail Banda 2010 would not be very difficult becauseBanda islands had been known worldwide since the past as spice islands, andeven UNESCO has named the islands one of the world heritages.

Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said recently that some 150 sail boatsfrom
various countries had been registered to take part in Sail Banda 2010.

"I met Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik in Jakarta recently and hesaid about 150 sail boats have signed up for the international maritime eventin Maluku next year," the governor said.

Traditional Maluku dances to enliven Kuta carnival

Twotraditional Maluku dances are to be performed by the Bali-Maluku FamilyAssociation (Ikemabal) to enliven the Kuta Carnival in Bali on September 26,2009.

"The `lenso` and `gaba-gaba` dances are to be performed in the carnival,an annual parade of Indonesian arts and culture that usually draws manytourists," said Ikemabal chairman Samuel Uruilal here Sunday.

He said the event which will be held for the seventh time will be used byMaluku people staying in Bali to promote their exotic traditional arts andculture.

"Ikemabal has a moral responsibility to promote Maluku`s art and cultureto be known worldwide and not to be claimed by other countries like the"Sayange" song recently," said Samuel.

The lenso dance in combination with the "sawat" dance is usuallyperformed by Muslims in Maluku on religious holidays.

"We want to show a dance that reflects the communal harmony in ourpeople`s life nurtured based on our cultural value of `Pela-Gandong` so it willnot perish under the influence of globalisation," Samuel said.

Pela-Gandong is a traditional wisdom of the Maluku people underlining that allmen are related to each other and therefore they should always live in peace.If a group of people is building a house of worship, people belonging toanother group must help and support it.

He said that the world should know the Pela Gandong cultural value is stillvery much alive in Maluku and being practiced with greater fervour since theend of the communal conflict several years ago.

"The Kuta carnival is a strategic opportunity, because Bali is a worldtourism center.
Showing Maluku culture at the event will help put Maluku on the world tourismmap," he said.

The Ikemabal art team at the Kuta carnival was also ready to wear traditionalclothes, "Cele" (for men) and "Kebaya" (for women).

"A number of Maluku `Jujuro` (men) and `Mungare` (women) in Bali have beenrecruited and trained to make the traditional clothing," he said.

Meanwhile, Maluku Tourism and Culture Office chief Florence Sahusilawanecommended Ikemabal`s intention to help promote Maluku`s traditional arts andculture.

"Promoting Maluku`s art and culture is not only the government`sresponsibility, Ikemabal`s breakthrough is positively appreciated as a form ofmoral responsibility to conserve the heritage," she said.

Florence added that Maluku is to come into the international spotlight in the comingyears by at least three upcoming international events, namely a "WorldPeace Day" function in Ambon in November 2009, the `Sail Banda` event andthe 2010 International Peace Olympiad.

Bay fiesta to enliven Sail Banda to be attended by President

TheAmbon city administration is holding a bay fiesta to highlight Sail Banda whichwill be held in July and August 2010.

"We will hold a bay fiesta in Teluk Dalam, Ambon, to encourage theparticipants of Sail Banda, Indonesian 1,500 youngsters as well as foreigntourists in the international marine activity with its highlight to be attendedby President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on August 3, 2010," Ambon Mayor JopiPapilaja ssaid here Monday.

The bay feast will include a swimming competition, fishing competition,traditional boat competition, and sea cleaning.

"We will persuade Sail Banda participants hoping after they have returnedto their respective countries they will promote the undersea park of Ambon, andhistorical and cultural tourist potentials there, as well as the stablesecurity situation in the area so that their tourists would not hesitate invisiting the Maluku provincial capital city," Papilaja said.

"We will also support the development of Teluk Dalam of Ambon with theWater Front City (WFC) program, the funding of which had the approval of theMinistry of Marine and Fishery Affairs," Papilaja said.

Sail Banda is aimed at promoting Maluku`s marine potentials by which the numberof tourists to Ambom is expected to increase with its strategic impacts onseveral other sectors.

"So the people of Ambon should not only free proud by holding Sail Bandahere, but also need to use the event to raise their welfare," Papilajasaid.

The Ambon city administration will also encourage and support the people forpromoting their houses as home stay because normally foreign tourists prefer tomix with the local population.

The presence of President SBY in Ambon scheduled on August 3 has also beenprogrammed to promote Maluku as a national fish feed center.