A real green experience

The Jakarta Post, Tue, 11/04/2008 10:38 AM | Environment

The backdrop to Alam Sari is best understood by first experiencing its free Keliki village tour led by Pak Dewa, Alam Sari employee and village resident.

His goal is not to goad tourists into purchasing handicrafts but to teach the "essence of Bali", reflected in the cultural symbols found in their buildings and farming techniques, and intrinsic to the interconnectedness between the villagers and their land.

Walking alongside the rice paddies, through family and temple compounds, Pak Dewa weaves the traditional Balinese values into his talk, those of win-win scenarios, finding the balance between negative and positive and living in harmony.

Young mangroves sprout on the coast of Kotok Island as
part of the island's mangrove rehabilitation program. (JP/Mary C. Edwards)

"The 'green revolution' -- the government's push for three crops of rice per year through the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers -- killed our natural pesticides and fertilizers such as snakes, frogs, butterflies and snails, and left us with predators -- rats and grasshoppers.

"Now we plant half the government way and half the Balinese way, using indigenous rice and by rotating crops," Dewa said.

"Too many eels in our paddies destroy the rice roots. We have a special trap which catches the big ones, the little ones can escape."

A papaya tree became a lesson on living in harmony.

"We do not strip the tree of its fruit. We take one, we leave one for the gods and we leave the best for the animals, as they will eat it and drop the seeds somewhere."

Inside the family compound were little bird houses. "The Javamunia is a small bird which eats our rice. Instead of destroying it, we make the bird a home in our compounds. When she lays eggs, we take all but two...."

It is these Balinese values which provide the ethical structure for the physical structure, Alam Sari, built by owners Aprile and Hugh Collett. They have been implementing "green" hotel practices years before the 2007 Bali Conference on Climate Change.

"Using certified organic seeds, compost and no chemical fertilizers or pesticides, we grow all the hotel's herbs and spices and many of its fruits and vegetables. We use traditional bug-repelling and butterfly-attracting Balinese plants," Aprile said.

Alam Sari participates in the traditional Balinese subak irrigation association; the water is filtered before irrigating the gardens.

Life-long educators, the Colletts have come to realize the important role Alam Sari and its surroundings can play in educating the next generation, thus they have a well-developed young people's program which caters to school groups.

In addition to environmental issues, children learn about Bali through classes on culture, crafts, music and arts, and also experience it through mountain biking, whitewater rafting, hikes and elephant safaris.

Another example is JAAN's Raptor Rehabilitation Center on Kotok Island which can be reached in less than two hours from Ancol Marina, Jakarta.

The center is home to two species -- The elang bondol, or Brahminy kite, and the elang laut perut putih, or white-bellied sea eagle, which boasts a two-meter wingspan.

"JAAN receives these raptors from the Forestry Ministry, birds captured from Indonesia's illegal wildlife markets. The fledglings are usually caught and sold to the markets by local fishermen wanting to supplement their meager incomes," said Femke den Haas, JAAN coordinator for wildlife protection and welfare.

"The birds need to know they're birds and so must learn to fish. The raptor keepers stock the cages' at shallow ponds with live fish at night while the birds are sleeping."

Walking through the jungle, Sudarno, JAAN's coordinator for equipment and maintenance and a raptor keeper, spoke of his scarred hands.

"Every one of us has had our hands punctured by the eagle's powerful, razor-sharp talons during handling. At times the talons have ripped through our hands to the other side! We can do nothing until the bird decides it's ready to set us free," Sudarno said.

Rehabilitating the birds is a long process, explained Femke. The various cages, equivalent in size to a two-story, medium-sized home, are spread out through the jungle.

"After they can fish and before they are released, a wing marker with a radio transmitter is attached to it," Femke said.

"The marker includes JAAN's phone number in case the bird ends up back at the market or is found injured."

In addition to the Raptor-Rehabilitation Center, reef rehabilitation and organic gardening projects, other projects are underway on Kotok.

Mangrove nurseries have been established, the young plants then transplanted along the water's edge, a program that will be repeated on the other islands, explained Ade Ardiansyah, JAAN's coordinator for the marine program.

As with so many of the country's beaches, garbage also collects along Kotok's. JAAN works with the communities in recycling projects and education.

"It's working! The local island children tell everyone they meet that laut bukan tempat sampah (the sea is not a garbage can)," said tourist Craig Stewart.

In addition to the tour of the Center, JAAN provides lunch. A day trip to the island still allows time to hike around the island, snorkel in the crystal clear, blue waters or sunbathe on the beach.

Field trips are organized with Jakarta's schools, teaching why trading in illegal wildlife is wrong and building environmental and cultural awareness in the next generation.

Day trips as well as overnight trips can be arranged by JAAN. As it is a yayasan supported by grants from institutions as well as individuals, any income earned through these trips is plowed back into the project.

-- Mary C. Edwards