Mataram, W Nusa Tenggara - The Directorate General of Forest and Nature Conservation (PHKA) of the Forestry Ministry Darori said here Wednesday that Indonesia was one of the countries with the highest biodiversity in the world, and earned the name Megabiodiversification country.
"However, Indonesia is also known as a country with the highest damage on its biodiversity and along with some other regions identified as hot spots for inclusion in conservation programs," he said.
In the National Dialogue of Gunung Rinjani (Lombok) Geopark, he stated that the national park had an important role to play in reducing the loss of biodiversity. Therefore, we need to manage and protect these areas.
"In relation to the proposal to UNESCO for making Gunung Rinjani as the first Geopark in Indonesia, principally we support it," he said.
Moreover, Darori said that a geopark would provide a platform for active cooperation between experts and geologists. Through the continuity of implementing tourism programs, the geoparks would give local people benefits.
In a geopark framework, knowledge about geology is shared with the public. Furthermore, a geopark is not only about its geological condition, but also related to its natural and cultural surroundings.
According to Darori, the framework is relevant to a national park`s management as an ecotourism area. In this case, a national geopark and people around it constitute a unity which needed to be managed together for the sake of local culture and economic development. (Antara)
Source: http://enews.mcot.net (September 18, 2008)