Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, consisting of more than 17.000 Islands. The country is located around the Equator between Asia and the Australian continent, and between the Pacific and Indian oceans. Biogeographically, the western part of Indonesia (Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java and Bali) has the characteristics of Asia, while the eastern part, Maluka and Irian Jaya (Papua), has the characteristics of Australia. Sulawesi and Nusa Tenggara have separate characteristics. The diversity of ecosystems reflects the diversity of flora and fauna in the country. Indonesia is the second most biodiversity country after Brazil.

Tens of millions of Indonesians depend directly on the forest for their livelihoods, whether gathering forest products for their daily needs or working in the wood-processing sectors of the economy. The forests are home to an abundance of flora and fauna unmatched in any country of comparable size. Even today, almost every ecological expedition that sets out to explore Indonesia's tropical forests returns with discoveries of new species. But a tragedy is unfolding in Indonesia. The country now finds itself the unwelcome center of world attention, as domestic and international outrage mounts over the rampant destruction of a great natural resource. For example, one of the country's fastest growing sectors, the pulp and paper industry, has not established the plantations necessary to provide a secure supply of pulpwood. Instead, pulp mills rely largely on wholesale clearing of natural forest. The economy is plagued by lawlessness and corruption.

Indonesia is the second largest palm oil producer after Malaysia and is poised to be the world's biggest producer of the commodity. Indonesia's rate of forest destruction also made the country the third largest greenhouse polluter after the United States and China. Yet even if current policy reforms are successful, it is clear that Indonesia is in transition from being a forest rich country to a forest poor country, following the path of the Philippines and Thailand. Millions of hectares of former forest are now covered in degraded forest remnants, scrub, and the ubiquitous alang-alang grass. With this loss of forest, Indonesia is losing biodiversity, wood supply, income, and ecosystem services.

One of International Organization that concerned about forest and environmental in Indonesia is CIRAD (Center de cooperation Internationale en Reserche Agronomique pour le Developpement). It is a French agricultural research center for International development. CIRAD is centering its operations on six strategic lines of research. Those six strategic lines are helping to invent ecologically intensive agriculture. Its main concerns are, as to feed the world, analyzing the conditions for the development of bio-fuels and how to ensure that they benefit people in developing countries; innovating to make food accessible, varied and safe; foreseeing and managing the infectious diseases risk linked to wildlife and domestic animals; helping to establish public policies aimed at reducing structural inequality and poverty; and understanding the relations between agriculture and environment, and between human communities and nature better. All these matter is proposed in order to manage sustainable rural areas.

The problem of deforestation is not only about biodiversity loss. Greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation, forest degradation and peat decomposition and burning in Indonesia have generated increased attention. Degraded forestlands can be replanted and man aged to provide wood, tree crops, fruits, and other non-timber products. Ecosystem services such as freshwater regulation and soil retention can be restored. Part of the tragedy of Indonesia's forests is that the current industrial timber plantation program, and the system of forest conversion to plantation crops, have not contributed to sustainable forest management but rather have accelerated deforestation.

This tragedy will destroy the biodiversity in Indonesia. The diversity of flora, fauna and their ecosystems, as well as the diversity of culture, are potential attractions for the development of ecotourism in Indonesia. Ecotourism and nature tourism are recognized as being particularly conducive to enriching and enhancing the standing of tourism, on the basis that these forms of tourism respect the natural heritage and local populations. There is a vision in the country that tourism will be the main source of foreign exchange. The role of ecotourism in this vision is fundamental.

What is Ecotourism?

The Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as a responsible travel to Natural areas, which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of Local people. The community inside the tourism such as stakeholders, tour operators, outdoor guides and travelers, project developers, students and the general travel industry has to cooperate to create ecotourism. Ecotourism should be correctly handled, a most satisfying way of generating investment in helping the ecology of the area it exists in. Unfortunately like most things that become popular, the ability to generate ‘profit’ from popularity gets the attention of wealth hungry individuals and their businesses. All the destructions in the nature cause nature’s balance to be compromised. Is eco tourism a sustainable form of tourism to any random place, or is eco tourism merely a form of mass tourism to a fragile place of natural beauty? Each year the numbers of travelers who interested with eco tourism getting grow up, they interested in sustainable travel that protects both environment and culture.

Dr. Daniel Murdiyarso, speak person from CIFOR, said, “Indonesia less maintenance to the nature compared to the beautiful nature that Indonesia have, that’s why the image of Indonesia Tourism difficult to grow up. The government should be more serious to manage the problem that happened in the ecosystem. Policies should be examined very carefully, and the livelihood development and ecotourism projects should be monitored not just for commercial business.” The focus must be mainly on educating people about the wildlife and environment. Indonesia, which covers almost 2 million, square meters and has a population of 220 million, without a doubt is a country that holds an array of tourist attraction, which for those who come can enjoy, and fulfill their curiosity. Indonesia offers everything from the exotic of nature trough uniquely cultural interests.

Whether you wish to catch tan on a white sandy beach, have a gentle breeze blowing through your hair over calming lakes, scaling a beautiful mountain side, or even watching a gorgeous sunset over a breathtaking landscape, Indonesia is the place to visit. Beside the beautiful landscape, Indonesia also has a diverse flora and fauna. Aside of species of fauna familiar to both Asia and Australia, there are species indigenous to Indonesia. The orangutan apes of Sumatra and Kalimantan, the giant Komodo lizards roaming free on the island of Komodo, the one horned rhinoceros of Java (Badak Bercula Satu), the wild Banteng (oxen), Sumatra tigers, Bekantan and many other species which are now protected in wildlife reserves. The flora of Indonesia ranges from the tiny orchid to the giant "Raffles" plant, which is the largest flower in the world as it, can bloom to almost a meter in diameter. These and many other species of plant life can be seen at the Bogor Botanical Gardens. Indonesia still has large expanses of untamed forest and jungle, which, aside from their ecological importance, are splendors to witness. Therefore, protection of forestland has become an increasingly important issue in International forum.

Traditional Tribe & Indonesian Culture

Indonesia has thousands of tribes that spread across the archipelago, such as Dani Tribe, Dayak Tribe, Baduy Tribe, etc. Many of them are actually live near the forest or even live in there. One of them is the baduy tribe. The Baduy people live in an isolated area of mountainous rainforest only 100 kilometers southwest of Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital city. They are a small-scale indigenous community that has largely been able to avoid the advancement of globalization, modern technology and other influences of the outside world, including environmental degradation. The Baduy community is rejecting all forms of modernization and still following unique cultural and religious practices as defined by the Baduy custom law systems handed down by their ancestors more than four hundred years ago. The Baduy way of life has until now been culturally and ecologically sustainable and they have lived in relative harmony with the environment. Represented within the Baduy society is great wisdom and knowledge about the conservation and sustainability of eco systems and the interconnectedness of all living things with the earth and the cosmos. Since the forest is considered a sacred place for them, the Baduy adat (custom) law prohibits the outsider from exploiting the forest. This results in the protection of the forest.

Baduy is one of tribes in Indonesia, which lies in Desa Kanekes, District of Lebak, Lebak Regency, and Province of Banten. They live in a desolated area of Kendeng Mountain. In reaching that place, it takes a quite long time and difficult routes. To explore Desa Kanekes which its acre is 5130, 8 ha, have to take a long route by foot since there is no any transportation over there. Baduy elect to be traditional society, which opposed to the modernization. Although they choose being traditional society, they keep for respecting and communicating to modern society which live surround them. For bonding between the traditional life and the surround area which is in modern situation, they established administration structures which amalgamate between custom structure and national government structure.

In the modern life, that it is comfortable since there is light, transportation, entertainment in television, and as well as pleasuring places which are luxurious; Baduy are loyal with the humility and life in the candle light of illumination. They go by foot to anywhere and there is no telephone. Their own selves fulfill everything by taking it from the nature that they have, for instance clothing, housing, and foot. Although they never recognize the term of sustainable development that has already declared by nations, the principles that are delimiting the changing of the nature and the point of view that nature is a deposit from God bring Baduy to implement paradigms of the sustainable development.

The economical system of Baduy is a closed system, means that economical activities are run in fulfilling their daily needs and life, produced and as well as consumed in Baduy itself. It is the same as the producing of bags, clothes, sandals, and agricultural tool. They produce all by using the materials that are taken from their surrounding nature and mostly from wood. A small part of the needs is gained from the out of Baduy by applying barter system. The product of their agricultural activities or money, the product of their trading activity in market, will be used for bartering with the other. Agriculture by shifting cultivation is their main economic activity, while making handicrafts such as sarongs, clothes, and palm sugar are their side activities.

The ecological condition of Kanekes village has a good quality which is marked by its various biodiversity. There are many species of flora and fauna which are live in Baduy and unfortunately, they can not be found in any other places. Some fauna living there are classified as wild and rare animals therefore they are protected by Indonesian Government. There are 30 species of birds, 13 species of mammals, 19 species of fish, and 8 species of reptiles found and live in Baduy area. 40 % of various fauna are wild animals which are protected by Indonesian law. There are also a big number of floras that is found in Baduy, 200 species of plants. Those species of plants are mostly protected because they are rare and start to extinct.

The principle and philosophy of life in Baduy is the main instrument which guarantees the unity of economical, social, and environment management aspects. The assumption that they are a chosen clan for preserving the nature of Kanekes, one of nature centre, encourages some efforts in managing the nature. The other instruments are that there are no ownership of land and no equilibrium of individuals which raise social disparity. Externally, they attempt to raise the regulations from national government to protect their forest.

The life style of Baduy, indirectly, reflects sustainable development. The values and percepts concerning with the bond of social cultural, economic, and environment are taught and implemented in the entire society of Baduy. Those values and percepts are doctrine as a life vision; it means that those values are understood as one vision of life. The education system in Baduy is good as the substance of knowledge that comes from their belief comprise educational substance for sustainable education. The capacity of nature is being main consideration in fulfilling daily needs and social life. Thus, it can be said that the percepts substance of Baduy has universal values and they can be reference to implement education for sustainable development. (Hilda Perbatasari)

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