Pustaka Ilmiah Universitas Padjadjaran

Abstrak

Indonesian Experience in Developing National Geopark

Indonesia is located in the junction of three geotectonic megaplates, namely Eurasian, Indian Ocean and Pacific plates. Those three plates collided in Indonesian region. The geological condition in Indonesia is therefore very unique. This region can be considered as the embryo of the development of the earth crust. However the intensive physical developments presently have threatened such unique geological phenomena. In general those developments have not adequately taken geological information into their accounts. The rare geological evidences sometimes have been over shadowed by the importance of the physical development. The unique geological evidence might for instance, be inundated by the water body of the constructed dam. This situation remains in progress although necessary steps have been taken by the government. In this regards more communication to the government with the support and participation of international community’s perhaps is recommended. The concept of Geopark therefore needs to be socialized particularly to the government and in Indonesia particularly to the local governments. The Geoparks concept in conservation of an area based on geological aspect is something new for Indonesia. However, quite similar concept had been applied to the “Karangsambung” a most famous geological heritage in Central Java. Because of its unique geological condition, the Local Government had already promulgated the Act of Karangsambung Reserved Area. In November 2006, this geological reservation was officially inaugurated by the President of Indonesia. The event was a very important landmark identifying the government’s strong support on the development of the Reservation based purely on the geological consideration. This area is used for research, education, geotourism with applying the sustainable development plan. The local government regulation or act is at present the higher legal foundation for the protection of the natural resources. However in the field of the regulation on reservation area the existing laws have not been synchronized with this new system effective since 2000. The Laws No. 41/1999 for instance regulates the reservation on the flora and fauna bases. It is therefore from as many as 519 units of 28,166,580 Ha reservation areas in Indonesia nowadays, almost all of them promulgated under the Law on Forestry managed by Ministry of Forestry. Some participation came from Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The unique geological phenomena which have been protected under the Forest Reservations are among others the Tangkuban Parahu Crater, Ciater hot spring resort and Gedeh-Pangrango volcano in West Java and the Tengger Caldera in East Java. The other phenomena fall under the cultural inheritance namely the site of early man Pithecanthropus erectus in East Java. The handicap that faced by the local government is the law in the protection of geological assets and inheritance is the absence of the national law concerning this matter. The Draft of the Geological Act however is being prepared by the Government. The Association of Geologists had earlier proposed the thought on the importance of the Act on Geological Inheritance.