FKH Ready to Reforest Banjarmasin

By Hasan Zainuddin

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (Antaranews) - Forum Komunitas Hijau (Green Community Forum/FKH), an environmentalists organization, is now willing to undertake reforestation of the city region with rambai padi plants (Soneratia sp).

A member of the FKH Banjarmasin Akhmad Arifin told reporters on Thursday his organization is willing to accept the challenge of planting plants those are similar to mangrove.

He is responding Head of Banjarmasin Water Resources and Drainage (SDA) Agency Muryanta who want to cooperate with FKH in greening the city with rambai padi.

The location to be reforested is an area of river along Jafri Zamzam Road, because the area will be used as a water 

tourist area.

Rambai padi plants have been in accordance with the conditions of watery land, and the plants are very effective 

at keeping abrasion, as well as shade and easy to grow.

It's just that until now no party has agreed to bring the seeds to plant, that is why Muryanta invites FKH Banjarmasin in the planting, especially FKH have been greening Banjarmasin by planting areca nuts and trambesi trees.

Even now FKH was promoting Lukut plant (bird's nest fern) , assisted by the Unlam Faculty of Law's Mapala Banjarmasin.

According to Arifin, some members of the FKH test-taking rambai padi seedlings in its habitats in Tamban, Barito Kuala District. The saplings will be planted in that area anyway, if later managed to grow well it will be breeded in a large scale for reforestation Banjarmasin.

Based on the record, the rambai padi plant are sometimes difficult to distinguish between bacaurea, brugeria , soneratia etc. However, if observed with a clear example on the leaves it will be recognizable example Soneratia plant that is widely available on the riverbank in Barito Kuala (Batola).

Trees with a height up to 15 m , rarely up to 20 m , has a vertical root breath like a cone ( height up to 1 m ) are 

many and very strong , the ends of branches/twigs droop, and a rectangular-shaped when young .

The handle/reddish petiole, wide and very short, and the location of the unit is simple and opposite, rounded shape 

elongated, rounded ends, varying in size 5-13 x 2-5 cm. flower buds ovoid , when in full bloom , petal tube-shaped 

bowl, usually without veins, lies at the tip.