Plant Diversity in Situ Panjalu Nature Reserve Could Attract Ecotourism

Image: article cover, from Encep and Aditya (2017), Jurnal Wasian, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

A research team from the Ciamis Agroforestry Technology Research and Development Centre has assessed that the diversity of plant species in the Situ Panjalu Nature Reserve, Ciamis Regency, West Java, has the potential to be developed for ecotourism. The area is one of the oldest nature reserves in Indonesia and has long served for the conservation of genetic resources, science and education. The study, published in the Journal Wasian in 2017, highlighted the plant species that grow most abundantly in the area.

At the seedling level, the three species with the highest importance values were Dysoxylum densiflorum Miq. (47.64 per cent), the rattan Calamus zollingerii (47.64 per cent) and Sterculia macrophylla Vent. (44.37 per cent). At the sapling level, Litsea cassiaefolia dominated with a value of 114.29 per cent, followed by Dysoxylum densiflorum (57.14 per cent). Meanwhile, at the pole and tree levels, Dysoxylum densiflorum ranked highest with importance values of 143.04 per cent and 147.924 per cent. Other notable species were Litsea cassiaefolia and Eugenia fastigiata Miq.

According to the study, the richness of plant species in the Situ Panjalu Nature Reserve could be an attraction for visitors wishing to learn about the area's native flora. However, ecotourism development must continue to safeguard the area's function as a nature reserve, so that its use for tourism does not disturb the conservation of the plants and habitats within it.

Source and how to cite

This story is based on the research article The Potential of Vegetation Species Diversity for Ecotorourism Development at Nature Reserve of Panjalu Lake by Encep Rachman Encep and Aditya Hani Aditya, published in Jurnal Wasian Vol. 4 No. 1 (2017). The full article is free to read on the Jurnal Wasian website.

Cite the original article (APA 7):

Encep, E. R., & Aditya, A. H. (2017). The Potential of Vegetation Species Diversity for Ecotorourism Development at Nature Reserve of Panjalu Lake. Jurnal Wasian, 4(1), 01–10. https://doi.org/10.62142/p709jn56

If you use these findings in coursework, a thesis or other writing, cite the original article above, not this news story. The original article is licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.