New Attractiveness Of Bogor Botanical Gardens For Hoya Plant Education And Conservation

Head of BRIN Laksana Tri Handoko (left) inspects the collection of hoya plants found in Rumah Kaca Hoya, Bogor Botanical Garden, Bogor, West Java. (ANTARA/HO-PT MNR)

JAKARTA - The Bogor Botanical Gardens now have a new attraction with the inauguration of the Hoya Glass House, a conservation facility that presents hundreds of collections of hoya plants from within and outside the country.

This inauguration is part of the celebration of the 8th Anniversary of the Bogor Botanical Gardens, which was held by PT Mitra Natura Raya (MNR) in collaboration with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

This nearly 500 square meter greenhouse is now a growth ground for more than 100 types of hoya, with a total specimen reaching 500 plants. This facility is claimed to be the largest and most complete Hoya conservation center in Southeast Asia, making it a new icon in the world of tropical plant conservation.

President Director of PT MNR, Michael Bayu A. Sumarijanto, expressed his hope that this greenhouse not only functions as a collection place, but is also a means of open learning for all groups. Starting from researchers, students, to elementary and kindergarten students, it is hoped that they can use it as a natural-based educational space.

According to Bayu, the construction of storefronts such as Rumah Kaca Hoya is part of a commitment to convey information about Indonesia's biological wealth to the wider community, especially the younger generation and environmental observers.

In line with this, the Director of BRIN Scientific Collection Management, Sasa Sofyan Munawar, emphasized that the construction of this greenhouse aims to strengthen the collection and quality of plants in the Bogor Botanical Gardens. He also highlighted the uniqueness of the hoya as a tropical epiphytic plant that has high scientific and aesthetic value.

"Hoya plants are interesting not only because of the shape and color of the flowers, but also because of their role in the ecosystem and their potential to be developed in research," said Sasa.

Indonesia itself has a special position in the world's Hoya diversity map. Of the approximately 400 species that have been known globally, around 130 of them come from Indonesia, making this country one of the largest centers of hoya biodiversity in the world.

Hoya Indonesia is spread from the islands of Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, to Papua.

PT Mitra Natura Raya, as BRIN's strategic partner since early 2020, has also managed a number of botanical gardens in Indonesia, including the Bogor Botanical Gardens. This collaboration strengthens plant conservation efforts and improves environmental education-based public services.

In addition to the inauguration of greenhouses, the series of 208th Anniversary of the Bogor Botanical Gardens is also filled with planting activities for plant collections simultaneously in four national botanical gardens: Bogor, Cibodas, Purwodadi, and Bali Botanical Gardens.

This activity is a symbol of a shared commitment to preserving Indonesia's biodiversity in a sustainable manner.