|
Information Center |
Environment
Bali's Environment is in
Danger: What is Being Done to Protect it
Tourism has brought
many benefits to Bali, but it has also created new concerns.
One of the most pressing problems facing Bali today is the
threat to the island’s natural resources from
overdevelopment. As rice fields are bought up and turned
into hotels and golf courses, huge drains are being placed
on Bali’s water resources, creating critical shortages of
needed water in some areas of the island and threatening to
cause severe drought conditions in a matter of a few short
years. Mining and timber cutting for new developments have
placed the island’s few remaining forest areas in danger,
along with their delicate ecosystems and marvelous
biodiversity. Already the coral reefs off Bali’s coasts
have been severely damaged by people collecting the corals
for use as building materials and by careless tourists
unaware that the reefs are a fragile, living habitat. Waste
is also a tremendous problem, with over a million tourists a
year and an increasing population of Balinese leaving Bali’s
landfills overflowing with plastic and other
non-biodegradable products.
Fortunately, there are a
number of local organizations who are working to spread the
word about the threats to Bali’s natural wealth and to
plan programs to combat environmental degradation. All these
organizations will gladly accept donations and can point
interested visitors toward opportunities to volunteer their
time and skills.
Wisnu
Foundation has been a leader since 1993 in
protecting Bali’s environment and educating the public
about their role in conservation. They have undertaken a
number of successful projects, including making plans for
managing Bali’s fast-dwindling water resources,
instituting recycling and waste management programs in Bali’s
businesses and hotels, and teaching schoolchildren about
Bali’s natural bounty. They pioneered the concept of
ecotourism in Bali, and instituted an “eco-rating”
system for Bali’s hotels to help them improve their
relationships with the environment. Wisnu Foundation can be
contacted at: Yayasan
Wisnu, Jalan Muding Indah I/1, Kerobokan, Bali. Telephone
(0361) 424758.
Pusat Pendidikan
Lingkungan Hidup (Center for Environmental Education),
popularly known as PPLH, maintains a complete center for
environmental affairs right in the heart of Sanur.
Comprising a lending library, internet access, an excellent
café offering healthy treats, and even a lovely small
hotel, the Hotel Santai, PPLH is an unparalleled resource
for the traveller wishing to learn more about Bali’s
natural world. Ask them about special seminars on
environmental issues, and trips to some of Bali’s
environmental attractions. PPLH is located at:
Jalan Danau Tamblingan No. 148, Sanur. Telephone (0361)
287314.
Manikaya Kauci Foundation
is another organization active in environmental affairs.
They have conducted research exploring the sustainable use
of ocean products, worked to help protect Bali’s
threatened turtle population, and made recommendations for
the management of Bali Barat, Bali’s national wilderness
park. Manikaya has also worked with visiting researchers and
journalists interested in learning more about the problems
facing Bali’s natural resources, and they maintain a
collection of materials on Bali’s environment. They can be
contacted at: Manikaya
Kauci Foundation, Jalan Noja Gang XXXVII No. 16, Denpasar,
Bali. Telephone (0361) 249630.
Mitra Bali Foundation,
established in 1993, works to help small scale Balinese
handicraft producers, spreading the message of “fair trade”
to benefit those marginalized from the mainstream of the
tourist industry. Offering training in design, business
management, gender equality, child labor protection and the
sustainable use of natural resources, Mitra Bali emphasizes
an eco-friendly approach to tourist development. Visitors
interested in buying the best of Bali’s handicrafts,
produced in safe, egalitarian working environments using
only wood harvested from reforestation plantations can
contact Mitra Bali at: Yayasan
Mitra Bali, Jalan Siulan No. 60, Denpasar. Telephone (0361)
463245.
top
|
