JUSTIFICATION OF REFORESTATION IN BALI

Text and photos by Alexey Zborovskiy

 

Just like our body sweats in response to infection, so also global warming is planet's answer to suffocation that careless persons cause. According to Dr. Art Ong Jum Sai, director of Institute of Sathya Sai Education, Thailand, increase of water level for another several cm can lead to strong earthquakes - due to change of ratio open-land versus open water masses. If man not protect the planet, last will protect herself. If we allow further growth of open water mass, as the Earth moves round it's axis, it will shake. Thus Mother planet will drop out of it's suffering body all the most pompous, most self-exhibiting buildings... Let us not allow this to happen.

If you still doubt, whether global warming is reality of our days, check out these dynamic photos of the arctic ice shell collapse.

If only we start to cooperate, we can prevent all the bigger problems. Sri Sathya Sai Baba says that tree planting and protection of existing trees is a remedy for global warming:

Because of the advance of technology, several factories have sprung up, causing emission of harmful gases in the atmosphere and resulting in the ozone layer becoming thinner. If this goes on unchecked, it may have disastrous consequences. Scientists are trying to stop the breakup of the ozone layer but are unable to find a remedy. The cause of this situation is that more carbon dioxide is being let into the atmosphere. Normally, plants and trees absorb and assimilate the carbon dioxide and supply oxygen by the natural process of photosynthesis. But because there is deforestation to an alarming extent, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has considerably increased. The remedy for this situation is intensive afforestation, growing more trees everywhere, and protecting the existing trees without destroying them for other purposes. The relationship of man, nature, and God is very intimate, which scientists may not be able to realize.

- Sathya Sai Baba, Sanathana Sarathi 36, February 1993, p. 45.

Indonesia presently loses it's remaining indigenous (original) lowland forests. For each of us, loss of these global health- relevant ecosystems can be compared to losing of a good part of our own lungs.

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Full of amazing animals, mysterious sounds, smells and colors… Giving oxygen... Removing carbon-dioxide... Sources of medical plants... Alas! No photo can give you a feeling of pure aura, or pure vibration of these unspoiled forests. Words fail to describe them as well... We can only say two things: 1) original forest is a magic, a Creator's biggest secret, and 2) Just go there and see yourself! (Photos: 1. Bali; 2. Kalimantan (see this associated video); 3. Java).

 

In Bali, where the author lives and works, these unique forests were destroyed not very long ago. Only few decades back, many huge, beautiful trees - with all these wonderful orchids, bright birds, flying lizards etc., who used to live on their massive trunks and on tops - grew in many parts of the island. What remains of virgin forests today are scarce tiny particles: clusters of up to few dozens of trees – usually around Hindu temples or in graveyards (photos 4-6).

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Escaping from hot sun under shadow of these last trees - with all the accompanying orchids, fruits, butterflies and birds, one easily realizes that Bali indeed was a Paradise, as it is called by tourism promoters even nowadays. Besides visits to temples and cemeteries, another way to get glimpse into past of the island is to climb some less spoiled hills in it's Western part (3 following photos):

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While enjoying all this beauty, think of the fact, that local lowland forests were even richer! Wildlife, as well as culture of people who used to live in lowland forested and semi-forested areas of Bali, was so diverse!

 

One of biggest pieces of modern lowland forest in Bali is known as Sangeh Holy Forest (3 photos below). Few hectares in extent, it exhibits interesting composition of endangered tall Dipterocarpus hasseltii and more common trees, thus being similar to the original Balinese lowland forest:

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Just recently, beautiful, godly Balinese houses, made of bamboo and clay, used to stand safely under protection of Hindu Dharma. Nowadays, they give way to pompous offices/shops/hotels, that stay under harshly burning sun. The lost treasure of love and peace, which Bali was (read this little book of mine with illustrations of Balinese artists), turns into world of hot competition. Only who lived here outside hotels and villas, understands this fact. In best best scenario, instead of diverse Paradise gardens, we have some coconut/banana/papaya etc. plantations (as on the below series of 3 photos). Nice little houses are now more commonly used as sheds for pigs.

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When a tiny bird, or bat, comes to eat a little bit of banana or papaya, it is being shot by local "brave man" with modern air-gun. Somewhat boring landscape - if to compare it with Paradise. Regarding coconut plantations, they sometimes look so peaceful and healthy... However, almost no animal can eat coconut. Only very few birds and other animals can be seen/heard there.

But plantations are nothing comparing to Balinese cities. Mother nature, even in it's most original, most “wild” form, always served desires of Man. Alas! Just like young people today lose their respect to elders, so also those who gather in Balinese cities pay their Mother Nature with pain for her love. They even tend to think of her as of some enemy. Motivated by fear of Nature, as well as by jealousy and craving for self-exhibition, citizens compete with each other for who's office/house/car etc. is bigger and more expensive... In their blindness, they reduce diverse landscapes of this godly, paradise-like island of Bali to namely 3 main types: 1) artificial deserts, which are those places where they take materials for their buildings, like white-stone mining area on photos 20-25 and 30); 3) wastelands, being all those places where hundreds tons of stinky garbage and rubbish are stored in Bali; 3) “supermarkets”-like places, or all those buildings and other cement structures, like on photos 31, 32.

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Photos above:

16-18 - remnants of natural habitat in Bali Bukit (southernmost plateau of Bali);

17-32: cyniical destruction of natural habitat in Bali Bukit (stone mining, erection of way-too-large buildings etc.). May-June 2008.

Vast majority of workers, involved in these projects, are from capital Indonesian island Java.

 

33. Bali Bukit from space. Quite arid, especially during dry seasons, area of Bali. White, gangrene-like distinctive spots that you see are stone mining craters, each size of a good village. This satellite image is old (2007). By now (June 2008) these artificial deserts cover much larger areas in Bukit. Hundreds big tracks, full of white stone, go in and out of Bukit daily, spreading clouds of white dust everywhere. It looks like their number is increasing daily.

 

34. This image is too one year old. You see one of the last spots of tall forest in our way-too-dry Bali Bukit (photos 16, 17). The central-lower part of this forest (8°50'10.10"S 115° 7'44.20"E) is gone now: trees, along with tiny soil layer, were removed for the sake of another stone mining project (photos 25 through 29).

Except for knowledge of God, on our planet Earth no cure for disease of old age and death is available. However, people (especially those who come from Western countries) tend to think that no God, but wealth and money can protect them from diseases and misery of their last moment. This is due to mere ignorance. They erect buildings of the most screaming, most pompous designs all throughout Bali now. Noise, dust, as well as roar of hundreds tracks, that deliver materials (stones, iron etc.) make one in the island feel like during World War 3. No doubts, we all need some houses and roads. But, of course, not these ugly cement constructions and not in such quantities. They fit neither size nor style of the little Bali. To add to the problem, removal of trees - for sake of wider roads and larger houses - worsen further the climate situation! Sometimes, local leaders organize mass tree-plantings, but they usually plant most common, fast growing species - in geometric boring rows: along roads, or on plantations. It is of course cheaper and faster to plant easily-available trees in geometric ways, but it is not beautiful. Only what is unique is attractive. Alas, many of these trees are neither from Bali nor even from Indonesia (photo 50). Such mechanical tree-planting can, of course, contribute in stopping climate change, but not for very long. Because epidemics can easily kill groups of trees that belong to same species. On the other hand, original bio-systems included so many species, that they couldn't be killed easily. This is why environmentalists of all countries speak insist on protection of bio-diversity. Without intervene of chainsaws and tractors, natural bio-systems, particularly – forests, could have stay healthy and support all of us for another many thousands years. Therefore, tree planting technique has to be improved in Bali, as well as throughout world. First of all: businessmen who finance these plantings must not destruct last indigenous forests, that still cover some hills. Next: we must plant indigenous trees, and not a foreign species. As for Bali, let's protect not only it's climate, but also it's beauty, title and reputation of Paradise island! Let's count the fact that some local trees can cure diseases which no other trees can cure. Some indigenous fruits have unique properties like repellents, insecticides etc. Some (like Badung, (Latin: Garcinia dioica): photos 35-37) are of pleasant taste.

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These photos show one of few last Garcinia dioica trees in southern Bali

We don't want natural and cultural heritage of Bali to vanish. There is no wisdom in hurry, no courage in imitating other nations life-styles. We need government that will protect Bali Culture and Nature. The problem is that this island, as well as remaining Indonesia, is characterized by lack of political and religious unity. Competition dominates. Cooperation is suppressed. As result of competition, there is hurry in acting (mentioned planting of foreign trees - in boring rows - is one of examples). Subsequently, fascinating landscapes of Bali are getting same look like this of other - over-urbanized places. Balinese tourist companies advertise images of few remaining untouched places of the island on their websites. But these places are indeed the only ones that remain. And even they're threatened. Dozens of plants and animal species, along with beautiful local traditions and skills, disappear from Bali every year now. Should we repeat fate of neighboring Java? Javanese people reproduced themselves so extensively, that they've destroyed almost all Natural habitats in their large island. In most of Java it's hot, really hot! All their rivers (outside mountain tops, or course) are extremely polluted. Roads are overloaded by traffic. The smoky air in and around their big cities is dangerous to breath... Hundreds unique animal species – not found on any other island - have been gone*. Basically, this crisis is result of very popular sexual freedom among Javanese males. Some of them, of course, feed their harems well. But an average Javanese polygamist simply makes children in one village and then moves to the next one - to look for the new “wife”. Unluckiest are their hungry wives and children! Left alone, they search for whatever food they can find, including tiny snails... Not surprisingly, there are no environment-considering rules regulate their actions under such circumstances. They consume whatever natural resource is available... To add to our troubles in Bali, now many Javanese men arrive and settle down here also. As one can see: vast majority of them is involved into most cynical destruction of Bali remaining healthy landscapes. If left uncontrolled, this can lead to disastrous effects.

Here and there, these migrants from Java, often paid by locals, spoil Bali landscapes. Flows of dirt - instead of clean rivers, hot open areas, supermarkets etc. - instead of green forests and happy meadows.. Ugly huge constructions of cement and stones - instead of beautiful forest temples and neat houses of Balinese villagers.. Observing how these people work, how they talk, eat etc., one hardly believes that they’re indeed from Java - a historical core of famous Majapahit culture.

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The above photos illustrate killing beauty of one of little Balinese rivers (Denpasar, Jl. Gatot Subroto Timur, May-June 2008. See and download video). As you will realize after reading comment below, this is in fact a chain-process, or chain-reaction. It is destruction of beauty of all Bali rivers in fact. In case of this exact river, not only trees, but also Java king fishers, green pigeons and dozens other brilliant birds, along with butterflies, rare bats, indigenous fishes and monitor lizards: these are some of victims of man’s activities. Nearly all rivers in Denpasar, Kuta and Legian, as well as in majority of other Balinese cities and villages are nowadays sharing similar fate. Because, at first stage: trees are cut down from bank of just one of two rivers. Because we have seasonal floods in Bali, cutting of trees, of course, triggers erosion of river banks. Unfortunately, local and foreign people, who do this destruction, have very little love for Nature. This is why they don't understand simplest of ways in which last operates. In order to stop the erosion that they provoke, they cover damaged river banks with concretes. To build shield of concrete on bank of one river requires lot of natural resources and efforts of course. Sand is a part of mixture for concrete. They take sand from bottoms of neighboring rivers, thus triggering erosion of these other rivers as well! S.O.S.! The single little damage multiplies itself! It spreads all over Bali in geometric progression. We must stop it immediately. How? The solution is simple! By planting fast-growing Balinese bamboo species, and, later - Balinese trees - on the spoiled slopes and banks. Damaging trees along rivers must be strictly prohibited.

Below series of photos illustrates how some other rivers are converted into DEATH VALLEYS in Bali. With help of modern machines, it takes only few weeks to completely spoil 1-2 km of the indigenous landscape. It looks like those, who undertake these projects, aim to win “Least-fit-BALI-style” -prize.

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There is less and less information remains about local trees of Bali nowadays. No special book or database is in existence (as of 2008). Even in local Department of Forestry there are large gaps in knowledge about original forests. In order to close these gaps, in 2007, we've started collect and sort all available data on indigenous trees of Bali. This information is to be used for proper reforestation, which we view as following 4-steps process:

1) Identifying original composition of indigenous trees, which used to grow in areas of environmental crisis (in case of Bali: Jimbaran, Kedonganan, Denpasar, Kuta etc.);

2) finding their reproductive material (seeds, sprouts etc.);

3) planting this material in our nurseries and/or other safe (as safe as possible) locations;

4) when situation permits (!) - moving maturing trees back to areas of crises, so that to enrich both beauty and health of these spoiled places.

In order to assure safety of both planted and naturally-growing trees, we constantly teach locals the need to protect old good values of their country. Because we know that Bali was healthier, even though not many people had a lot of material wealth. It is obvious to us that not money etc., but spiritual values are basis of health and happiness. Being inspired by simple lives of many holy persons, we teach and inspire local people. Under guidance of our divine Teacher - Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and together with my dear parents, and other people, we were able to do this work until present day (June 2008). Many Balinese ask me questions about reforestation. I tell them a true story of a Paradise Garden (Suarga), which Bali used to be not very long ago. Many Balinese, especially elder ones, agree: not money and physical power, but religion used to keep this land healthy. I am happy to see that more and more people understand us and even start practicing what we practice, namely: proper reforestation. No doubts: sooner or later, our "Back-to-Paradise"-project will spread all over this wonderful island, and even beyond it.

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Photo 50: Jawa cotton tree, or Kapok (Lat.: Ceiba pentandara), is now found in millions on hills of Bali-Bukit. However, it is not a domestic tree. It was brought to Bali from South America (though Java), where it is a holy tree of Maya Indians, and also one of the biggest trees of Amazon valley. Luckily, we still have indigenous cotton tree in Bali (Silk cotton tree, or Kapok Bali asli, Lat.: Bombax ceiba; syn.: B.malabaricum). It has beautiful red flowers (Photo 51) and also pods with cotton, but it's population is subdued by foreign tree species.

 

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Photo 52. Critically endangered Dipterocarpus Hasseltii (Pala, as it is locally known), which author is presently growing (from seed) in his nursery in Bali, Kedonganan.

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* For example Javanese tiger – the unique subspecies, is gone forever. Many smaller animals and plants are gone too. Last 20-30 Javanese rhinoceroses survive in one of few remaining tiny lowland forests on Java, but there is always danger of even their disappearance, because any small population of large animals can disappear - due to either close interbreeding, or through diseases. To avoid further worsening of Java's environment, it's people must be educated in basic Human Values. To be born as human is in fact a rare and precious gift given to us. For Man, living like a mere animal is equal to wasting a diamond.

Written in Bali, 2008