A WINDOW TO THE GREEN

A WINDOW TO THE GREEN, ECO-TOURISM


Eco-tourism, green certification—what do these terms mean? Since the Bali Conference on Climate Change last December, these and many similar concepts have been bandied about.

The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines ecotourism as:
“Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” This means that those who implement and participate in ecotourism activities should follow the following principles:
1. Minimize impact
2. Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect
3. Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts
4. Provide direct financial benefits for conservation
5. Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people
6. Raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environment, and social climate

Recently I had the opportunity to visit two such places—one was a privately-owned hotel in Ubud, the other a Raptor-Rehabilitation Center managed by yayasan Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) on Kotok Island, of the Thousand Islands.

Alam Sari Hotel, or “Natural Essence”, Ubud, Bali. As the parent of a JIS alumni, our Bali trips included Kuta, Legian, Kuta, Kuta…you get the picture. We know there’s more to Bali than Beaches, Bargains and Bounty Disco, but where to scratch to find it? Too late did I discover Alam Sari Keliki, a small 12 room hotel plus villa in the hills near Ubud, where our teenage son would have—eventually—valued the tranquility and the deeper scratch into Balinese culture.

Owners Aprile and Hugh Collett, JIS teachers, have been environmentally sensitive from the hotel’s inception, and their green emphasis includes the following:
• Fruit, vegetable, herb and spice gardens, using certified organic seeds and composted fertilizer. The garden provides all the needed herbs for its dining facilities and a substantial portion of the fruits and vegetables
• Gardens irrigated by filtered water which comes from the nearby Subuk River
• Solar panels provide hot water, with gas for back-up
• On-site Australian Enviro-water treatment facility
• Recycling containers for paper, plastics, metal, and paper
• Meditations sites and spas with natural herbal oils


Education does not stop at the hotel. Pak Dewa, employee and resident of the nearby village Kuliki, leads guests on a free tour of his traditional Balinese village, which includes a sensitive portrayal of the temples, family life, and the Balinese connection to the earth. His goal is not to goad tourists into purchasing local handicrafts but to teach us of the “essence of Bali”, reflected in the cultural symbols found in their temple and family compounds and in their farming techniques, explaining the interconnectedness between the villagers and their land. He weaves the traditional Balinese themes into his tour, those of win-win scenarios, the importance of the process vs. focusing on the end results, finding the balance between negative and positive, and living in harmony.

The Collett’s are inspired and motivated by the Balinese example of agricultural interdependence and plan to integrate more fully these traditions into their hotel grounds. The Lonely Planet has noted them as having an environmental focus, but that doesn’t stop them from developing other initiatives such as future plans for carbon offsetting schemes to compensate for greenhouse gas emissions due to air travel and working towards Green Certification (see Green Globe, Green Seal Certification, and Planeta.com). For more information on Alam Sari, see http://www.alamsari.com/.

Kotok Island, North of Jakarta. Living in South Jakarta, I forget how close the ocean is—maybe at some deep psychic level I’m still living in Nebraska as I look out at the traffic and think, “the beach is a long ways away.” However, after a 1.5 hour boat ride from North Jakarta’s Marina Ancol there’s no doubt, that hey, Toto…we’re not in Nebraska anymore.

Kotok Island is part of Kepuluan Seribu National Park, of the Thousand Islands, which really is about 110 islands—and dwindling. The Raptor Rehabilitation Project is home to two species: the Elang Bondol, or Brahminy Kite, which is the symbol of Jakarta AND another rapidly dwindling feature of the archipelago—a handful now exist where once there were hundreds, if not thousands; and the Elang Laut Perut Putih, or White-Bellied Sea Eagle, which boasts a six
foot-plus wingspan. JAAN receives these raptors from the Forestry Department, birds captured from illegal wildlife markets in Indonesia. The birds are usually caught and sold to the markets by local fishermen wanting to supplement their meager incomes. Once at Kotok, the birds spend their first few days in quarantine, before moving onto the socialization cages, then to the release cages, which are located at the sea edge where they then learn to fish before being released. Because they are taken from the nests when just fledglings, the birds need to learn 1) they are from the community of birds and not humans; and 2) how to fish for themselves—hence the intricate rehabilitation process.

Besides the Raptor-Rehabilitation Program, other environmental projects are underway on Kotok which include:
• Marine protection/rehabilitation projects. A study by John Hopkins University revealed that of Indonesia’s reefs, only 6% are in excellent condition while 70% are in poor to fair condition. In addition, world demand is high for corals—that’s what we see in aquariums—therefore, working in conjunction with the National Parks Department, the local communities are taught sustainable reef farming techniques in order to help preserve this national resource.
• Recycling and waste management
• Nurseries for both deciduous and mangrove trees for reforestation and mangrove rehabilitation projects.
• Pilot organic gardening, to be duplicated on other islands. Currently the islanders import over 95% of their fresh vegetables from Jakarta.

Day trips to the island as well as overnight trips (with basic accommodations) can be arranged by JAAN. In addition to the educational aspect of this project, snorkeling and diving is available, as is sunbathing on the beach and hiking around the island. Volunteers are needed in various capacities—another way for your teenager to burn some of that energy!

See their web site for contact information; http://www.jakartaanimalaid.com/programs.html
For questions in specific areas, contact the personnel listed below through their web page.
Femke den Haas, Wildlife Conservation Advisor
Natalie Stewart, General Animal Advisor
Karin Franken, Domestic Animal Advisor


AWA has always encouraged and supported local initiatives, not only through its charitable giving but also by supporting local industries through its well-organized and well-attended bazaars. This article highlights another way AWA can not only give back to the local community but also to the global community—by encouraging its members to choose tourist destinations which integrate ecotourism principles.

Written by Mary Edwards. Mary has her MA in Energy and Environmental Studies and has worked on Sustainable Development Issues for over 15 years. She and her husband have lived in Jakarta for 5 years. She can be reached at mary.edwards@gmail.com