Only Balangan has a botanical garden in South Kalimantan: Balitbangda

Paringin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Head of South Kalimantan Research and Development Agency (Balitbangda) Muhammad Amin said Balangan is the only district in the province that has a botanical garden.

"We from the province, who also has the Banua Botanical Garden, really support and appreciate the Balangan Botanical Garden, especially the facilities for managing it is adequate," said Amin after the inauguration of the management building of the botanical garden by Balangan Regent Ansharuddin in Paringin, Monday.

Amin hopes that the botanical garden will increase the green open space in the district and become means for education, research, and recreation for the people.

The Balangan Botanical Garden has a variety of forest plants or species of large timber trees, such as meranti, sintuk, ulin (ironwood), sungkai, ladiran, various palm, various rattan, and various fruits.

There are also a lot of animals, such as lutung (black long-tailed monkey) or local people called hirangan that often make a sound when viewing visitors.

There are also gray monkeys and tangkarawak. Tangkarawak is a squirrel but has reddish-brown skin, and its body is very large, about one meter long, often called a giant squirrel.

Regent Ansharuddin said the construction of the botanical garden management building took two years (2020-2021) according to the planning of the Balangan PUPR Office.

During the inauguration, Ansharuddin handed over a number of award certificates on innovation to several government agencies coordinated by the Balangan Research and Development Agency. 

Head of the Balangan PUPR Agency Tuhalus said the management building of the botanical garden was built on two floors on a land of about 405 square meters. A garden shop and a restaurant will also be built. 

"In 2022 we will budget for paving the road to the botanical garden and building gates," he said.