The Berbak National Park
On the East coast
of Sumatera, close to the capital of Jambi Province, lies an area of
outstanding beauty as The Berbak National Park. Berbak’s vast swamp forest is
of extraordinary natural richness. Also the largest protected swamp forest in
South East Asia. It contains an enormous diversity of plant and animals
life.Berbak is the most extensive protected swamp forest in South East Asia. It
contains over 150.000 hectares of relatively pristine freshwater swamp forest
and peat swamp forest. These forests lie between meandering black water rivers
lined by Nipah palms and Pandanus trees along coastal plains ranging from sea
level to only 12,5 metros elevation.
On the 26th
of February 1992 a presidential decree declared’ 162,700 hectares of the Berbak
area to be a National Park. This decision recognizes the area’s high value for
tourism, Tour Adventure , education also for research. It’s enormous genetic
recourses as well as it’s significance for nature conservation in general. And it’s
importance to nature conservation has long been recognized as long ago as 1935
the Dutch Colonial government made a large area of Berbak into a wildlife
reserve.
As a large wetland,
Berbak is also important for local people. The Berbak wetlands help contain
floods in the wet season and serve as a fresh water reservoir in the dry. As a
nursery and breeding habitat for fish they are critical to local fisheries.The
best way to visit Berbak is by speed boat and there two way of doing so, the
first, from Jambi follow the Batanghari River and Berbak Rivers to the
Telagalima Kampung, then enter the park via The Deep Black Water River or
Sungai Air Hitam Dalam. This route takes 2,5 to 3 Hours trip.The second, from
Jambi follow the Batanghari River to Nipah Panjang. This trip takes about 4
Hours. Then continue to the Sea Village of Black Water via the open sea by
speed boat or by patrol boat of the local conservation agency, which may take 2
to 8 hours depending on the means of transport we choose. And directly to Benu
River which forms the provincial boundary between Jambi and South Sumatera.
The best time to
visit the Berbak National Park as Tour Adventure is the dry season, between March and
November. In the west season the visitors may face high winds and large waves
in the South China Sea. For our safety and comfort it is requested, we register
with the regional nature conservation office (UNTB – Jambi) before entering the
Berbak National Park.
The Treasure Trove of Plants and Animals
Along the rivers,
we could see some animals drinking of the river edge while birds fly overhead
and the Monkeys, Gibbon roam in the forest canopy. Tapir (Tapirus Indicus), the
Sumatera Tigers (Panthera Tigris Sumatrensis) and Malay Sun Bear (Helarctos
Malayanus) are among the mammals living here, while evidence of the Sumateran
Rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) has also been found.The Berbak’s primates
include the Pig – Tailed Macaque (Macaca Nemestrina), the Long – Tailed Macaque
(Macaca Fascicularis), Surih (Presbytis Cristata) and the rare Siamang
(Symphalangus Syndactylus). Crocodiles, Turtles and other protected reptiles
also inhabit the swamp forest. Protected species include Crocodilus Porosus,
Tomistoma Schlegelii, Batagur Basca and Orlitia Borneensis. The variety of bird
life alone is enough to make Berbak National Park a place of international
significance.
The Berbak National
Park is also teeming with plants life. Berbak harbors the greatest diversity of
palms in Indonesia. More than 27 varieties of palm from the Arecaceae family
grow here, include Daun Payung (Johannesteijsmannia Altifrons). Berbak contains
plants of economic importance such as Durian (Durio Carinatus), Jelutung (Dyera
Costulata), Ramin (Goystylus Bacanus) and 10 types of Pandanus from the Pandanacaeae
family. And recently, Lepidonia Kingii, which has huge red purple flowers was found for the first time
in Indonesia here in Berbak.The Berbak National Park is a part of the World’s Natural Heritage. More
than 250 types of birds have been recorded, including many protected and
beautiful birds like the White-Winged Wood Duck (Cairina Scutulata), Lesser
Adjutant (Leptoptilos Javanicus), the colorful Sumateran Kingfisher
(Alcedinidae Spp.), the Storm’s Stork (Ciconia Stormi, one of the world’s
rarest storks), and as well as 9 out of the 10 Sumateran species of majestic
Hornbills (Bucerotidae Spp.).
The Berbak National
Park is The Unique. No other area of coastal Sumatera possesses such extensive
pristine peat swamp forest. Berbak’s swamp forest if of international
significance. For this reason Indonesia has nominated Berbak (according to the
Presidential Decree of the 19th of October 1991) for inclusion in
The RAMSAR Convention, an international convention becomes the first ASEAN
nation to protect an area under The RAMSAR Convention.
The RAMSAR
Convention : First agreed upon in 1971, The RAMSAR Convention aims to ensure
that wetlands including the wealth of flora and fauna species they contain are
conserved. Nations who are signatories of The RAMSAR Convention have general
responsibilities related to the conservation of wetlands in their territory as
well as special commitments concerning areas which are included in the list of
wetlands of international importance. Placing an area on The RAMSAR list raises
the issue of conservation the area it also recognize the value of the area to
both the local and word communities.
Now, as Good
Traveler and The Best Tour Adventure r also The Best Scientists, how to get
there on safety and get our main targets. Prepare the equipments as the
completely.
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