Ecotourism Development Supporting Biodiversity Conservation In Pangandaran West of Java Indonesia

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has been supporting the counties of Asia that were affected by the tsunami in Desember 2004. UNTWO has joined forces with the Government of Germany to provide a range of consultancy and advisory support in the field of biodiversity and tourism development following the Guidelines on Biodiversity and Tourism Develompment of The Convention on Biological Deversity (CBD). Indonesia is one of the target countries for this program. The Indinesia Government has agreed to cooperate with UNTWO in the framework of a project in Local Gevernment Kabupaten Ciamis (West of Java Province). The project aims to build sustainable tourism practice the model site ecotourism in Natural Recreation Park Pangandaran. It shall provide these communities with the expertise to develop touris in a sustainable manner giving special emphasis to the conservation of biodiversity and risk prevention though intact function ecosystem.
Pangandaran, a tourism destination area located in the southern tip of West Jave, is famous amongst beach lovers. Its long stripe of sandy beach is inviting for people who want to sit around, enjoy the horizon of Hindia/Indonesia Ocean, feel the sea breeze, watching both sunrise (from the Each beach). Nevertheless, Pangandaran has so much more than that. Its Pananjug Nature Reserve is conservation area is the habitat of rare Rafflesia patma, Bos javanicus, and many troical flora fauna. Pangandaran community is culturally dominated by bith Javanese and Sundanese, which create a rich cultural mixture in people daily life.
However, tourism have developed rather spontaneously, which in some area had damaged ecosystems and might potentially reduce environmental functions. Poor Solid waste management polluting drainage canals, leakage of domestic waste into water bodies thus polluting sea and poisoning marine biota, continuous violation of conservation area such as wood and shell collecting are only the most visible problems. Irresponsible tourism has greatly increase the natural ris prevention potential of imtact ecosystem, hus increasing potential of more devastating impact of natural disaster.
In July 2006, Pangandaran was saverely hit by tsunami couse by a 6,8 Richter earthquake. It has damaged more than 2000 houses, 5800 boats, and 41 home industries. About 15000 – 20000 employment was directly affected (Bappeda, 2006), therefore many people have temporally lost a significant source of income. Pangandaran environment have olso severely damaged, such as coral reef coverage which remains only about 10 % after the tsunami. Yet, after the tsunami Pangandaran faces larger challenge in rehabilitation and reconstruction. Right after, recovery aid program over flow Pangan-daran particularly in provision of fisherman boats, wave breakers, and infrastructure; unfortunately many are overlapped, ignorance to actual demand, and without assessment on environmental, economical, and social impact. On the other side, after two years of the disaster, tourism has starter to recover, yet still with very little attention to responsible tourism. With the current environmental capacity – greatly reduced by the tsunami and continous exploitation bay human – now can Pangandaran sustain its nature and biodiversity ? How can Pangandaran sustain its tourism. How can Pangandaran sustain its livelyhold, people welfare, and its life ?

UNTWO, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Local Government of West Java and Kabupaten Ciamis, together and supported by constant participation fro local stakeholders have been trying to initiate planning and implementation of more sustainable tourism by linking tourism and biodiversity, development for ecotourism condition. Its possible and inevitable to take care of Pangandaran; to conserve its natural assets and biodiversity and to revitalize its culture, for tourism and ecotourism developmet and later for economic welfare of local people in the future.

By : Agus Hermawan Apandi