"One of the first keys (of nurseries) that holds an important role is the provision of quality seed sources for more massive and structured forest and land rehabilitation activities," Bakar observed at the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the construction of the Liang Anggang Nursery, here on Thursday.
The minister said that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has emphasized the imminent role of seed nurseries by issuing directives to build large-scale nurseries in each province.
Bakar said their construction needs to be undertaken to support ecosystem recovery through forest and land rehabilitation, including in former mining areas.
"The construction of nurseries is directed to be carried out through a public-private partnership," she noted.
One of the provinces that is a priority for seed nursery development is South Kalimantan, which experienced floods and landslides in 2020 that affected people's lives, she pointed out.
Bakar explained that the disasters were caused by many factors, so there is a need for the active involvement of stakeholders to restore the environment.
To support the recovery efforts, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry is collaborating with the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing as well as the private sector to build the Liang Anggang Nursery in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan.
Moreover, the ministry has prepared 10 hectares of land in the Liang Anggang Protected Forest Area, which is planned to have a production capacity of around 10 million trunks per year.
The seeds prepared will include those of local endemic plants such as kasturi (Mangifera casturi) as well as other fruit-producing vegetation.
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Translator: Prisca V, Kenzu T
Editor: Suharto
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