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DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT OF

URBAN FORESTRY IN UNIVERSITY OF INDONESIA *)
Oleh: Tarsoen Waryono **)

Abstracts
Urban forestry, a concept new to Indonesia, involves the transfer or ecologically sound forest
management practices from the rural forest to the urban setting. Its objectives are base on the
premise that forest, existing or introduced in to cities, function to create low-cost and self
sustaining landscapes. Urban forestry in University of Indonesia requires a management
philosophy that integrates aspects of natural laboration and with ecology and provides
environmental and social benefit. An integrated management policy of this kind may also
increase benefits in the form water sources conservation. Later the species community will
evolve to a different character, responding to changing uses and environmental condition. The
approach obviates the current problems that occur when whole sections of urban plant material
die from disease. It also maintains a dynamic sense of process and diversity that gives us a
realistic view of nature. Several of the approach has been put into practice.

Introduction
Degradation of environmental life support in Jakarta is detected with the increasing of
air pollution in a large amount during the past of five years. CO2 mount from 187,4 mg/m2 to
309,0 mg/m2, rate of dirt mount 186,2 mg/m2 to 433,0 mg/m2; Pb mount from 241,3 mg/m2 to
400 mg/m2; and the noise mount from 32,9 dB to 43,0 dB. On the other hand, wide areas of
concrete building, plasters and pave, noted by 1.879,5 ha, having an effect on to surface run
of at the rainfall. Erosion value in region of scraping noted by 152, 7 ton/ha/year, causing
progressively the wide-spreading of flood regions and expanding slump area (11.340 ha). Wall
glasses building approximately 4.061 ha, also one of the factor causing the increase of
temperature of urban air, from 28, 2 becoming 29,1ºC. Act of migrating of birds from Seribu
islands is the consequence of displacing land-use function, at about 5,765 ha into a center of
business development area. Meanwhile, over water lodging and the adjustment of technology
stake of high rise building, resulting disturbance to arranging ground water, downhill of it
surface of land; and intrusion of the sea water to continent.
Forest and city are bipolar issues which are always inciting in the development
phenomenon, where forest has the inclining expression toward conservation, whereas city
expresses something expansive. Both apparently correlate in the sustained development,
which answer of prosecution and challenge of time and space that faced. Strategic idea in
realizing campus urban forestry hoped able to aggregate all tropical rain forests. Basic
argumentation that used is decreasing of environmental support, as effect of increasing critical
physics town.
*). Asia Pacific Urban Forestry Conference, 6 – 8 June, 2005, Crown Princess Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
**). Lecture University of Indonesia and urban forest program manager

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The existence of campus urban forest of Indonesia University, give benefit natural
laboratory also give environmental freshmen service for all activity inside or outside campus.
The above phenomenon basically have been anticipated by the government of Jakarta, by
establishing urban forestry, which one of them is being developed in campus of Indonesia
University. Town campus forest represent plasma of shield of campus which spatially of
located at the central chore of development area, between the area of agrotourism and service
urban industries.
(a). on the backside, displaying an area of forest regions representing a dynamic depiction of
ecotourism.
(b). at front are communities which identify an illustration of dynamic urban industries.
(c). urban forest of University of Indonesia is located between the ecotourism in upstream
part and urban industries in downstream part.

In building the university mission and image, UI confined by curriculum peripheral,

assorted of problems and cases which continuously desist and as if dribble UI naturally in
order to function as Laboratory and also continual development transformer. This perception
has been anticipated by urban forest, which are enable to control critical physic urban
environment.
After physical campus development completely in order, together with the academic
activities occurs in similar time, derives the urban forest development become silent in addition
to lack of final development results of green areas.
The requirement of green open space in campus these days shall no longer solely
represent desire of environmentalist society, but have rounded widely into social opinion.
Proven record are shown with the effectiveness of the green area as a filter against air
pollution, oxygen producer, to stall noise and as an intermediary means of absorber to public’s
movement. Final consideration is also based on natural desire which has been derived by the
technology development era. For that context of 312 ha area of campus, 49% is allocated for
the development of educational amenities and 51% as an area of green open space.
Allocation for 160 ha of an open space, which consist of 100 ha assigned as urban forest
area, 30 ha for water ecosystem (ponds) and 30 ha for an area of preserving type of fruit
species and medicine collection. In addition, a green area is to be existing as a support to
physical landscape of building.
Desire and obsession of campus and surroundings society in terms of urban forest
which not only provide natural tranquility but also offer a real contribution for a mind set of
development based on continual and natural harmony between physical building and
environment.
Concrete policies which established by the Head of the University consist of two main
objectives. Followings are: First, the desire of image concerning the Indonesia University,
which is a main mission objective. Second, to arise multifunctional benefits of urban forest as
a main function from natural vegetation. Both of the objectives are described in an Urban
Forest Master Plan includes to Urban Forest Design Landscape.

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Followings are the desired targets in relation with the Master Plan, which are: (a) to
develop urban forest at an area of 98 ha and 2 ha of nursery, (b) to preserve type of species
which are able to illustrate the target mission and multifunction benefits of urban forest.

Urban Forestry Concept

Vegetation in developing process must qualified two functions which are multifunction
benefit and also has the ability to describe the personal appearance, image and transparent
charisma of Indonesia University, as also to be sensitive, responsive and nationally loyal in a
continuous way.
Followings are the exact multifunction benefits: (a) soil protection, (b) water resource
control, (c) wildlife habitat, (d) genetic resource conservation, (e) environmental health and
freshness, (f) tourism and recreation facilities, (h) natural laboratory, and (i) urban forest
development model.
In terms to describe the Image and Charisma as an illustration of the personality of
Indonesia University, similar phrase also recognize as a preliminary phase to obtain practical
depiction of utilized philosophy, which is well known in architectural terminology. In short
meaning, the main descriptions are:
(a). the obedience of Indonesia University, in which inside of it, there are eldest scientific
institutions in Indonesia, strategically located in the centre of the capital city, large
number illumines who holds the essential role of the country’s circle of nation
bureaucracy.
(b). Indonesia University is Nationally Wide and United in Diversity, in which the college
students and the lectures are opens to where ever place they are from all around
Indonesia. However, main characters in dominant are “sensitive and responsive”
concerning the public’s phenomenon and transparently noble soul and character of
Indonesia University.
(c). last but not least, the effort of semantic formula, in an illustration of an integrated system
of urban forest species, physical education building and environment landscape which
are designed by the architect.

Further step is to visualize the image’s depiction and charisma, which are
implemented into symbols in the field. This is correlated with the utilization of potential
resources as follows:

(a) An area which can be symbolized as a spatial with zonated, which are: area, complex,
zone, sector, block, and plot.
(b) Natural vegetation which are types of tropical rain forest species. Selected species to be
developed are in the category of having specific potential in terms of the ability to
describe the personality of the faculty or the existing institution, for example, faculty of
Economic is symbolized by the priceless, known as the Tectona grandis, meanwhile,
faculty of Technology is symbolized by the strongest wood in the world, known as
Eusideroxilon zwageri.

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(c) Local vegetations are those types which has the specific potential
in terms of symbolizes the names of places around Jakarta, for
example: Ciputat (Planchonia valida), Kemuning (Murraya
paniculat), Cimanggis (Garcinia mangostana), Cipinang (Areca
catecu), Dukuh (Lapasium domesticum), Menteng (Baccaurea
javanica), Tanjungpriok (Mimusops elengi ), Rambutan
(Nephelium lapasium), Jatinegara (Tectona grandis), etc, until
recorded to a total of 27 numbers.
(d) In process of implementation, a concept of IUCN (International
Unities Conservation Natural) is encountered as a basic scientific
in developing urban forest for the purpose of a conservation unit
area.
Throughout the above symbols, therefore the description of
the image and charisma of Indonesia University in relation to urban
forest are sorted as follows:
(a) Natural vegetation zone is the chore of urban forest which are
collections of local vegetation (Jakarta) to become genetic wet
tropical rain forest which symbolizes Indonesia University which
Campus Urban Forest are sensitive-responsive-open minded, similar to the nature of the
tropical rain forest.
(b) West Wallace Zone is developed on the Western part which are natural vegetation
comes from the Western part of Indonesia. The selected types are those in which having
specific potential and economic value, social or politic. Tectona grandis has the flexible
character, therefore it has high economic value because it is favorable to adapt to any
kind of climate around the world. Shorea Spp., which dominates tropical rain forest and
well known in the world of trading. Hevea brasiliensis is a nature rubber product which
top the second rank of position since 1907, and also other species.
(c) East Wallaceae Zone with the selected species from the Eastern part of Indonesia, for
example : Agathis damara is the raw material of the best paper in the world, Diopyros
celebica is the raw material of the most expensive sculpture, Santalum album is the
wooden product which is well known by the scent. Zyzygium, Myristica, Cofea are the
products of Indonesian spices famously since the era of culture stelsel, also as with
Pometia pinnata is the most favorite lyhcees in the Netherlands. Symbolization of the
chosen species indicates image and charisma of Indonesia University as a National
Institution for the obedience to become a role model in creativity.
(d) Prototype of the design which allocated as a chore of the urban forest zone which has
pillars, are developed furthermore as a sector, to symbolize personality, image and
charisma of Indonesia University in Tri Dharma as in nursery which has the role as
training centre, type of collection and fruit preservation for limited conservation and
production.
(e) Finally, all of the zone separation, like the above description of sector, must be entitled
solely as an integrated system which describe the unbreakable Unity in Diversity, as
supporting pillars of campus building expanded from West to East depicting landscape of
islands, covered with landscape of ecosystem at 30 ha. It also concerns that Indonesia
is mostly covered by oceans (+ 62 %).
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Operational Step
Basically the field activities consist of three phases, which are consolidation, field
rehabilitation and the implementation of the development in real phases.

A. Phase of Consolidation and Planning

Since the year of 1985 to 1999, organization of executor development program of
urban forest of Indonesia University, coordinating under the financial administration Rector in
an organizational base of Indonesia University. Since the year of 2000 until nowadays an input
is inserted into Technical Environment Executor of Construction Unit of Campus. The
obligations are as follows:
(a). Cooperation among the related Agencies (Forestry Department, General Directorate of
territorial water, National Biology Institution, Technical Service Offices of the DKI Jakarta
(Water Territorial, Forestry, Agriculture, Landscape and Fisheries)) and other
stakeholders who care concerning to develop urban forest within the DKI Jakarta area
and its surroundings.
(b). Properly-Ordered Area covers safety for the area from threat of irresponsible people, and
forest fire-hazard.
(c). Master of Plan Compilation of Urban forest.
(d). Installation of boundary bordered-areas for urban forest, area of fruits preservation,
nursery and ponds area.

B. Phase of Development Implementation

Land Rehabilitation
(a). Nursery for 1 ha is built, to prepare legume pioneer seed.
(b). Land rehabilitation by planting progressive growing type of plant (legumes pioneer) such
as Acacia mangium and Paraserianthes falcataria. The purpose of selecting the intended
type of species is to control the domination of Imperata cylindrica and Panicetum
pupureum.

Enrichment Planting
(a). Enrichment Planting starts on the third year after planting types of legumes pioneer.
Those types (vegal, waltim, and walbar) are allocated based on specified zone, same way
also with the cultivation of fruits type.
(b). Empowering students, staff of instructors and people around the campus, basically it’s
represent the approach of the urban forest development.

Development of Water Pond Area

(a). Water pond development area, starts on from the third year until the fifth year.
(b). Water pond areas consist of six ponds which allocated near physical building, or united
with urban forest area.

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Realization and Development Aspect

Based on activity step, development realization of urban forest until the year of 2006 are as
follows:
(a). Collection of vegal, walbar, and waltim are recorded at about 180 types out of 800
intended types.
(b). Water pond area are built covering an area of 30 ha, spreading at six location and able to
accommodate 1,2 million m3.
(c). Urban forest utilization as natural laboratory for students research starts from second year
after land rehabilitation. Biological research conducted area surveying ecologically, fertility
and land microorganism, adaptive growing type of plants comes from its original habitat,
conducted chronically till the fifth year, and continual in every five annual periods. Water
ecosystem research begins on the third year, such as biological territorial water,
hydrology and hydro-micro, and also another research that linkage to water ground
managements.
(d). Besides exploiting as natural laboratory, urban forest area that consist of two ecosystem
of forests and water territorial, is also utilize by society around campus as a recreation
area and natural tourism.
Some aspects of development program like decanted in the Master of Plan of urban forest are
as follows:
(a). Enrichment planting till reach target 50% from 800 of the intended species.
(b). Bordering of urban forest and making of jogging track at about 1,5 km, around the area of
water pond and passing through the area of urban forest.
(c). Student’s research service and counseling to all organizer of urban forest in Jakarta and
its surroundings.
(d). Promoting water sports (canoeing) and SAR training for students.
(e). Releasing of deer and some types of bird, contribution from the government of DKI
Jakarta Province and Ragunan Zoo Park.

Conclusion
(1). Urban forest of UI, is a model which is possible as a sample of similar development,
especially in Jakarta and its surroundings and also for other cities of Provinces all
around Indonesia.
(2). The existence of urban forest, besides to provide benefit for society, it also a form of
caring-sense of educational institution to the development of green area.
(3). For academic members, besides enjoying educational environment that unites with
nature, it also advantages urban forest as means of Natural Laboratory and Recreation
Facilities.
(4). Various symbolic value and also its multipurpose value added, urban forest has strategic
meaning for university, closely related to control critical urban physical environment.

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(5). In importance means of water ecosystem development, functioned urban forest as one
of region of water absorption and water pond that is useful to its downstream part.

References
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Dochinger, Leon S. 1973 Trees for Polluted Air. Miscellaneous Publication No. 1230 of the Forest
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Acoustical Society of America, Vol 33.
Ford F.C., & Robertson, (editors). 1971. Terminology of Forest Science, Technology Practice and
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Smith, H.W. & L.S., Dochinger. 1976. Capability of Metropolitan Trees to Reduce Atmospheric
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Sandy, I. M. 1982. Urban. Publicizing No.126 of Directorate Land Ground Utilization, Domestic
Departmental, Jakarta.
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Kumpulan Makalah Periode 1987-2008