Reforestation of IKN with Mentawir Seed Nurseries to Change Monoculture Areas

Indonesian President Joko Widodo/ Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - To demonstrate the concept of a green city that is being promoted by the Indonesian Capital City (IKN), the government is also building a Mentawir Nursery Center in an area of ​​120 hectares. Of this area, currently 30 hectares are being used, with 16 hectares being part of the nursery, while the rest is for ponds (7.5 hectares) and other facilities.

"We prepared the Mentawir nursery two years ago in order to support later reforestation, reforestation and reforestation for the capital city of the archipelago, plus all areas on the island of Kalimantan. This will produce approximately 20 million seeds per year," said President Jokowi, quoted from Antara, February 26.

At the nursery location, plants endemic to Kalimantan are cultivated, including meranti, camphor, lime, balangeran, as well as several trees that are starting to disappear on the island, such as the sungkai tree (Peronema canescen).

With this green concept, the area of ​​the Capital City of the Archipelago, which was previously a monoculture area, one plant, one tree, namely eucalyptus, will later be filled with plants grown there. Apart from that, fruit trees, such as durian and guava, will be added later to bring the animals back.

President Jokowi again asked that no one doubt the government's commitment to environmental preservation efforts in the IKN area.

The seeds in the nursery are not only for the Indonesian capital, but for Kalimantan Island, for example for the reclamation of ex-mining areas and critical lands. It is hoped that these locations can be reforested.

The IKN concept that takes the environmental theme can be presented more broadly, through seeds in Mentawir.

In order for the environmental concept to be presented, the atmosphere or nuance is presented. The aura that will be presented in the Capital City of the Archipelago is not only a green city, but a truly comfortable atmosphere.

With this reforestation, IKN can also become a tourist area that attracts many visitors.

The main thing from the green city concept is that it can protect orangutans in IKN, including proboscis monkeys, so that they can present nature tourism. Because of that, the President asked that the Sepaku Dam be totally forested, so that later it would become a natural tourist spot for people in the Archipelago's Capital City.

Related to the air temperature in IKN which is quite hot, the President also responded jokingly.

"Jakarta is cold, isn't it? Ha ha ha, yes (because it was) in the AC (room) (while in Jakarta), 'wong' (IKN) is (just) not yet," replied the President with a laugh.