Forestry Engineering ITB : Analyzing the Phenomenon of Ecology in Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park

By Nida Nurul Huda

Editor Nida Nurul Huda

BANDUNG , itb.ac.id - course study program Forestry Engineering ITB , Tropical Forest Ecology , carry out a field study to Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park ( TNBBS) , Sumatra . The field lecture held on Friday - Tuesday ( 04-09/04/14 ) . The class field for six days is one of the biggest projects of Tropical Forest Ecology courses with students Forestry Engineering.
TNBBS is one of the national parks in Indonesia, which acts as a natural resource conservation . This area is designated as a Natural World Heritage Site Cluster as The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra . TNBBS is inaugurated by the Forest Ministry on February 1, 2007 . TNBBS has several ecosystem types. They are lowland forests , coastal forests , mangrove forests , mountains and forests in some parts . Meanwhile , the object of ecological studies is lowland forest ecosystems .

The phenomenon of Ecology

Class field is intended that students can directly examine various ecological phenomena directly in TNBBS . During the course students have been equipped with some of the material that has been applied in ecology at Campus Forest in ITB Jatinangor . At this time the field study , students will be exposed to larger objects and real , TNBBS. " Many ecological phenomena that we can see directly in the Sumatra Forest . Such forest floor clean , no bushes and shrubs , it is because the canopy very dense forest . So little light that goes into the forest floor as the main component of plant growing, "explains Dr . Endah Sulityowati ( Lecturer in Tropical Forest Ecology Course ) .

During the term, students will walk into the National Park to do some ecological studies . The ecological study of them , vegetation analysis , analysis of carbon reserves of natural forest stands , bird watching , sampling arthopda ( insects ) soil , and sampling small mammals . The entire study will be able to be a summary of how the overall ecological conditions TNBBS . As with any vegetation that grows in the ecosystem TNBBS , how much environmental services provided by tnbbs through biomass stands , how far TNBBS role in maintaining the microclimate around kawasaan national parks , and others . Even through this field study , it is not likely the students can create models for forest management TNBBS in the future.

The Conditions of National Parks Outside Java

In addition to conducting ecological studies , the students also had discussions with the manager of TNBBS . From these discussions , students can exchange ideas and determine the condition of the national park outside Java , especially TNBBS . The status of protected areas , TNBBS also not spared from such conservation issues , the issue of illegal logging , borderline cases , social issues with local communities , and others. Through these discussions , the students can broaden the understanding of the national parks as the sala of the scope of work later .


"Although the court has to attend classes several times before , but this time my college field really excited . First time I went to the woods outside of Java , and it is completely different to the forest in Java . Editorial still meeting once , large tree - large , clean the forest floor , completely intact forest . Unfortunately , forest protection in this area is still lacking in my opinion , "said Reno Tri Prasetyo ( Forestry Engineering ITB 2012).