Dreaming the 1st Geopark in Indonesia by Budi Brahmantyo

Rabu, 05-Januari-2011, 09:04:40 by Beny Ruhiman (sisfo)

From our desk: the construct of this special edition have been entirely different had it not been for the special creative of Herman Darman. As our special edition Chief of Editors, Mr. Herman early-on recognized the need for a special IAGI news edition especially for our Golden Jubilee Anniversary.

Within this edition, there are also Indonesian Geotourism and Geoparks by Tom J.A. Reijers (Geo-Training & Travel, Anderen, the Netherlands), Fifty Year IAGI and the Development of Geological Education in Indonesia by R.P. Koesoemadinata (Professor emiritus in Geology, ITB), Notes for the 50th Years, Let's Moving Forward!!! by Andang Bachtiar (a former president of IAGI), 50 Year Anniversary: Message from Past Chairman by Yanto Sumantri (a former president of IAGI), and Great Geological Wall Map of Indonesia by Herman Darman (Shell International) and Ipranto Wignyowinoto (Geological Research and Development Centre, Bandung).

Dreaming the 1st Geopark in Indonesia

by Budi Brahmantyo

Indonesia has been known - at least among geologists - throughout the world as a country with extraordinary geological features. Located among three global tectonic plates makes Indonesia become the most interesting place where volcanoes, trenches, folded mountains, tectonic features landscapes, karst mountains, deep and old sedimentary basins, wide aluvial plains, and other geological features decorated the archipelago, including the areas of old subduction zone.

On the volcano feature itself, there are 129 volcanoes in Indonesia and 79 of them were classified as to type A, which is active (www.esdm.go.id/publikasi). Type A volcanoes in Indonesia are volcanoes that have been recorded in history erupted at least once since 1600. In August 30th 2010, Gunung Sinabung in North Sumatra that used to be Type B (never been recorded an eruption since 1600) can be added to Type A when big eruption occurred in the middle of the night that day. Then 80 volcanoes now as to Type A in Indonesia.

The history of some Indonesian volcanic eruptions has decorated the history of the Earth. For example, in prehistoric time about 74 thousand years ago, Toba volcanic eruptions, which now form the Lake Toba in North Sumatra, is listed as the super-colossal eruption which spreaded ashes throughout the world. Anomalies of sulphuric ash layers were found deposited between layers of ice in Greenland. At the bottom of the Indian Ocean, these layers deposited into the seabed sediments show how broad and violent of the eruption of Toba was. The volcanic ash from 74 ka Toba eruption is now known as Toba tuff covering most of North Sumatra province.

The eruption of another volcano, less well known but actually was the world biggest volcanic eruption in historical times, was the Tambora eruption on April 10th 1815 in Sumbawa Island. This eruption spewed rock material as much as 180 cubic km. Hot clouds and lava which had destroyed the kingdom of Bima were produced to cover the body of the volcano. The ruins of some towns that was estimated to be an important town for the kingdom, inadvertently revealed during studies of pyroclastic deposits in Bima, Nusa Tenggara Barat Province. The ruins and buried victims were still showing their original shape. It is like Pompeii in the East.

Of course in the history of the world's volcanic eruption, the eruption of Krakatau on August 27th, 1883 in the Sunda Strait is the most world known. Although the magnitude of this eruption is only a tenth of the eruption of Tambora in 1815, but it shook the world. Many books, paintings, and films inspired by this startling eruption. According to Simon Winchester in his book "Krakatoa, The Day The World Explode," the explotion was much more known in the world compared to Tambora eruption because at the time of Krakatoa erupted, the world has become better connected by sea cable that lied in the bottom of the ocean from Batavia to Singapore and on to Europe. News about the eruption quickly spread to the heart of the world's information in Europe.

Winchester's Krakatoa gives us an awesome sense that one of the volcanoes that have decorated the history of the Earth is in our country. There should be 129 books written such as Winchester's Krakatau that discusses each of the active volcanoes in Indonesia. Instead of it, we have a book that although less interesting but it list major referral Indonesian volcanoes, namely Basic Data on Indonesian Volcano edited by the late Kama Kusumadinata. Each of us who wants to know the volcanoes in Indonesia, inevitably have to turn to that book that was published in 1979.

Each volcano has its own story. Although the similarity type of volcano in Indonesia as composite strato-volcano, which produce alternating between lava and pyroclastic flows, but the process and history of the eruption vary from one volcano to another. Moreover, the 129 volcanoes in Indonesia scattered in a vast and different geographical area, resulting varied environments as well. They are ranging from climate variations that will determine the ecological variations, up to a thriving cultural variation among people in the archipelago with have rich and various traditions. Volcanoes in Indonesia decorate the culture of the people who inhabit volcano's slopes.

One of the active volcanoes in Indonesia is Rinjani (+ 3726 m above sea level). It is located in the island of Lombok. The volcano is Indonesia's second highest after Kerinci (+ 3805 m asl) in Jambi, West Sumatra. The volcano has a beautiful and unique caldera lake. The popularity of this beautiful caldera lake Segaraanak has spread to foreign countries. Both foreign and local tourists climb to reach the caldera rim not in an easy way just to witness one of this charming geoheritage.

Crowded climbing enthusiasts have made the volcano is to be managed better. Under the status of a national park, the park manager has to fight with visitor management problem, such as one big problem that some of visitors are still ignorance to the environments. Where there also people live in the slope of the volcano, got their economic benefit from its slope, with their tradition to climb up to the caldera for a sacrifice tradition in certain times, the park manager have to involve them including other stakeholders to manage the volcano. Then the Rinjani Trekking Management Board (RTMB) was born as a forum with the soul of good coordination of various stakeholders on Rinjani, namely the Mount Rinjani National Park (TNGR) itself, the Office of Mines and Energy, the Office of Culture of Tourism (both the offices under Province of West Nusa Tenggara), tour guide associations, non-governmental organizations, clubs and nature lovers, as well as local communities that have been passed down through generations living in the foot and lower slope of Mount Rinjani.

Under RTMB, integrated management is conducted well to keep the sustainability of a controlled trekking tourism, the environments, as well as the benefit for local community. During its management, RTMB has reached two awards namely the World Legacy Award in the category for Destination Stewardship from Conservation International and National Geographic Traveler in 2004, and the Tourism for Tomorrow Award in 2007.

The achievements of RTMB in good visitor management by local community involvement, as well as a greater interest in environmental conservation and the potential field work in geology and vulcanology by geotourism activities within Mount Rinjani, made Rinjani has brought as a candidate to be proposed to the United Nations (UN), which oversees education, culture and sciences (UNESCO) as a GEOPARK. If Mount Rinjani was successfully registered as a geopark under UNESCO's Global Geopark Network (GGN), Rinjani would become the first geopark in Indonesia, the second in Southeast Asia, and the 57th in the world.

Up to now 56 geoparks network existing in the whole world get the full attention of UNESCO, especially in handling assistance, as well as automatically be registered as the world's geotourism destination list. Hopefully, if Rinjani succeeded in becoming geopark under UNESCO, the management of Rinjani then will be better and will attract more (foreign) tourists to come, visit, and climb Rinjani. In addition to admire its natural beauty, geotourists will get a tremendous knowledge of materials, processes and geological history of this second highest volcano in Indonesia, or the first highest volcano in Indonesia - possibly in the world - which has a caldera lake as geopark.

This paper invites readers to explore why Rinjani is proposed to be the first Indonesian geopark. It is also to be seeking guidance for other geological sites that can be proposed as geopark. Geopark is one of geotourism destination. The tendency of the world to conserve its cultural and natural heritage is the basis why geopark must be formed. And geotourism can be a solution of this tendency intead of sightseeing tourism only.

Geoheritage for Geopark and Geotourism

Before we observe why Rinjani is proposed to be a geopark, let's see what the backgrounds are.
UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) stated that tourism is one of the world's largest industries and is growing significantly. More and more people are interested in exploring new and faraway destinations and cultures. Ecologically sensitive areas, those where natural resources are critically endangered by physical changes and which contain a great diversity and interdependence of living habitats, have been experiencing such increase in visitation. Sensitive areas hold the main assets on which the tourism industry depends, so conservation is a must. Any changes in the component of an ecosystem will have unpredictable effects on the entire system (http://www.unep.fr/scp/tourism/sustain; downloaded September 28th 2010).

UNEP strongly believes that tourism can make a contribution to the protection of sensitive areas through financial contributions, provision of environmental infrastructure, improved management, awareness raising and education, and by the creation of protected areas, national parks, cultural and natural sites.

In 1972 UNESCO adopted a convention relating to the "Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage". The convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage developed from the merging of two separate movements: the first focusing on the preservation of cultural sites, and the other dealing with the conservation of nature (http://whc.unesco.org).

The Convention decided to establish a World Heritage Commission and World Heritage Fund. Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention invited each country to identify, based on nominations submitted by each country, about the natural and cultural conditions that have "outstanding universal value" that must be protected. Concerning geopark, The Global Network of National Geoparks (GGN Global Geopark Network) operates in close synergy with UNESCO's World Heritage Centre.
Brief GGN guidelines are (full guidelines can be downloaded from: http://www.globalgeopark.org/publish/portal1/tab121/info617.htm)

1.Size and setting
- A Geopark is an area with well-defined limits and a large enough surface area for it to serve local economic and cultural development (mainly through tourism). It comprises a number of internationally important geological heritage sites on any scale, or a mosaic of geological entities of special scientific importance, rarity or beauty. These features are representative of a region's geological history and the events and processes that formed it.
- A ‘Geopark' is a geographical area where geological heritage sites are part of a holistic concept of protection, education and sustainable development.

2. Management and local involvement
- Prerequisite to any successful Geopark proposal is the establishment of a management body and plan. The presence of impressive and internationally significant geological outcrops alone is not sufficient. The geological features inside the Geopark area must be accessible to visitors, are linked to one another and safeguarded in a formally managed park-type situation. The Geopark is run by a designated local authority or several authorities having an adequate management infrastructure, qualified personal and adequate financial support.
- The establishment of a Geopark is a bottom-up process.
- A Geopark shall provide organizational arrangements to involve public authorities, local communities, private interests, and both research and educational bodies in the design and running of the park and its regional economic and cultural development plan and activities.
- The identity of a Geopark must be clearly visible for visitors. This is achieved through a strong public relations concept including common branding/labelling of the sites belonging the Geopark, the publications and all activities taking place there.

3. Economic development
- One of the main strategic objectives of a Geopark is to stimulate economic activity and sustainable development. A Geopark serves to foster socio-economic development that is culturally and environmentally sustainable.
- Often, aspects of a region's cultural heritage are linked to the geological heritage. Respectful of the environment, the establishment of a Geopark shall stimulate, for example, the creation of innovative local enterprises, small business, cottage industries, initiative high quality training courses and new jobs by generating new sources of revenue (e.g. geo-tourism, geo-products).

4. Education
- A Geopark must provide and organize support, tools and activities to communicate geoscientific knowledge and environmental concepts to the public (e.g. through museums, interpretive and educational centres, trails, guided tours, popular literature and maps, modern communication media). It also allows and fosters scientific research and cooperation with universities, and between geoscientists and the local populace.
- The success of Geopark educational activities depends not only on the content of tourism programmes, competent staff and logistic support for the visitors, but also on the personal contact with the local population, media representatives and decision-makers
- Among the instruments available for the transfer of information are events such as excursions for school classes and teachers, seminars, and scientific lectures for the environmentally and culturally interested public and for residents who enjoy introducing their landscape to visitors.
- Within the educational concept, museums, ‘discovery centres', interpretive centres and other innovative new tools must be developed to promote the principle of geological heritage conservation and the necessity of its safeguarding and archiving
- All educational activities should reflect the ethical considerations around holistic environmental protection.

5. Protection and conservation
- In accordance with national legislation or regulations, a Geopark shall contribute to the conservation of significant geological features including: representative rocks, mineral resources, minerals, fossils; landforms and landscapes which provide information on various geoscientific disciplines such as: solid earth sciences, economic geology and mining, engineering geology, geomorphology, glacial geology, physical geography, hydrology, mineralogy, palaeontology, petrology, sedimentology, soil science, speleology, stratigraphy, structural geology, volcanology. A Geopark explores and demonstrates methods and best practise of conserving those examples of geological heritage.
- The management authority of the Geopark ensures adequate protection measures, in consultation with relevant statutory bodies, to guarantee effective conservation and provide means for physical maintenance, as ppropriate.
- A Geopark must respect local and national laws relating to the protection of geological heritage. In order to be seen to be impartial in its management of the geological heritage, its managing body must not participate directly in the sale of geological objects* within the Geopark (no matter from where they are) and should actively discourage unsustainable trade in geological materials as a whole, including shortsighted selling of Earth heritage, minerals and fossils.

Rinjani Geopark

From GGN guidelines points of view, Rinjani is qualified enough to be nominated as a geopark. The items described below are credite points for Rinjani for Geopark:
1. Containing important geological heritage values, including landscape of Segaraanak caldera, secondary volcano Mount Barujari, Rinjani summit, and in addition several phenomena surrounding volcano such as solfatara craters, hot springs, lava flows, crater lakes, caldera walls, waterfalls, interesting volcanic rock outcrops, and so forth.
2. The beauty scarcity of the landscape
3. Environmentally insight
4. Development for science and education
5. Involving the local community, managed well by RTMB, including trekking management, guides by local community, lodging, restaurants and souvenir shops, and others.
6. Cooperation with all stakeholders (universities, research institutions, corporate environmental managers, local governments, and local communities).
7. In addition, Rinjani has received two international awards: "Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2007″ and "Destination Stewardship, the World Legacy Awards 2004″

The only weakness point for Rinjani is the accessibility to reach the caldera rim. Not every visitor can climb this volcano. The management has to consider the vehicle so that everybody can enjoy the beauty of the volcano. Some recommend a cable-way, and others four-wheel cars, or even horses.

In 2008 - 2009 Association of Indonesian Geologists (IAGI) sponsored by Mining Office of Province of West Nusa Tenggara and Rinjani National Park made effort to proposed Rinjani to be the 1st Geopark in Indonesia. After a seminar held in Mataram, Lombok in 2008, it seemed that the proposal was going to go for UNESCO. However regardless technical problems, the dreaming of the 1st geopark in Indonesia is postponed.

National workshop conducted by Geoteknologi-LIPI held in Bandung August 2nd - 3rd 2010 tried to find the formulation to make good goal for geopark in Indonesia (photo by Igna Hadi).

Other locations in Indonesia may have a tremendous geological potential to be proposed as a Geopark. However many of them have a lack of an important requirement: management and local community involvement. Those will be the biggest challenge for many outstanding geological sites in Indonesia. Here is my list (excluding Rinjani) for other geopark candidates in Indonesia:

Seven examples for geopark candidates are less because there are still many more geological sites with interesting geological phenomena in Indonesia. ***

(Budi Brahmantyo, IAGI member number 1798; Departement of Geological Engineering, Faculty of Earth Science and Technology, Bandung Institute of Tecnology; forum coordinator of Bandung Basin Research Group. Email: budibr@gc.itb.ac.id, blog: http://blog.fitb.itb.ac.id/BBrahmantyo/).