Kutai National Park (TNK) located in Kalimantan Timur province and has its wide of 198.000 Ha. In the park, there is a giant Ulin tree which is predicted having an age of 1000 years. The tree is still alive and there is a special way to go there. The existence of the tree will easier for visitors so that they do not have to go hundred kilometers to Mahakam remote area to see the “steel tree”.It is very easy to find the way to the giant tree. The path directed to the tree is exactly beside security post of National Park. “it is our effort to cure the environment, as well as to develop tourism. That is why we provide with a path and bridge to go to the old giant tree,” said one of the staff of TNK post.
To arrive at the tree, visitor has to pass the longest ulin bridge in the world which go as far as 1 km -or two kilometres for vise-versa--. The bridge is built in the middle of that conservation area.
Walking through the bridge which has 1 meter width, the visitors can see wet rain jungle at lowland area, valley and hill and also will pass a small river. There is also a bridge at the river which is also made from ulin tree, protected by steel cable as long as 20 meter across the river.
After walking at about 30 minute then we will see one giant ulin tree trunk which has diameter around six times adult hugs. From tree diameter, it is predicted that the age of the tree is 1.000 year.
The environment in the forest is still fresh and natural. if you are lucky, you also can see Orang Utan (Pongo Pygmaues) that still live wildly in its origin habitat. Or, you can just hear their sound. It is prohibited for the visitors to go away from the ulin bridge or they can lost their way in the midle of the jungle.
"Besides local tourist, there is also foreign tourist that pay a visit to this area. There are still limited visitors going here. We intentionally do not promote this area openly because we are more focus to environment management," said the officer in charge.
For example at dry season, the visitors can not allow to smoke in the midle of the forest in case their cigarette can cause fire.
TNK is a conservation area that mentioned as a last fortress of lowland wet tropical forest East Kalimantan.
Other uniqueness of the area is that there are still many rare animals living here such as Orang Utan, bull, pounces deer (a heaviest deer in Indonesia which it weight can reach two kuintals), mousedeer and uwa-uwa. The area is also known as a widest location of damar tree, so that it is often mentioned as a garden of damar tree.
image taken from: http://www.pbase.com
more photographs can be found at that website
Source: Media Indonesia Online
+628995103612
adfinia@yahoo.com
Post a Comment