Traces of Struggle to Propose Moyo Satonda to Become the National Park

KABAR ALAM - After many years of study, Moyo Satonda was designated as a national park by the government through the Decree of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia Number SK.901/MENLHK/SETJEN/PL.2/8/2022 with an area of ​​approximately 31,200.15 hectare.

The Moyo Satonda National Park area includes areas that were previously a marine nature park, Moyo Island hunting park and Satonda Nature Tourism Park (TWA).

Based on KABARALAM.com's investigation, the struggle to apply for the area to become Moyo Satonda National Park had been carried out before year 2016.

Indonesian Edition: Jejak Perjuangan Pengusulan Moyo Satonda Menjadi Taman Nasional

In 2016, the West Nusa Tenggara Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) announced that the technical assessment team had recommended Moyo Satonda as a national park to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK).

The technical team consists of representatives from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), the Regional Planning and Development Agency (Bapedda), the Forestry Service and the NTB BKSDA.

In November 2017, in a report, the Directorate General of KSDAE held the Coordination Meeting on Regional Stabilization which specifically discussed the progress of the Evaluation of the Functional Suitability of the Moyo Island Marine TWA, Moyo Island Buru Park and Satonda Island TWA to become Moyo Satonda National Park.

Read: The Enchantment of Lake Sentarum Attracts Tourists

The report stated that the proposed change in the function of the area occurred in the meeting with the Minister of Environment and Forestry on April 15, 2016. In the same year, in May 2016, the technical team conducted a potential study of the area, and in September 2016 an exposure was carried out in Jakarta and the results of the Function Conformity Evaluation were stated feasible, and the NTB BKSDA proposed an integrated team, the SK for the Integrated Team was issued under Number SK. 540/MENLHK/SETJEN/PLA.2/1./2017.

Based on the results of the integrated team study, it was revealed that Moyo Island has 205 species of flora and Satonda Island has 188 species. Moyo Island Watersand Satonda has various potentials for protected marine biota (bottlenose dolphins, manta rays, green turtles, clams, Hippocampus etc.) as well as 64 species of coral reefs and 193 species of reef fish.

Several important species of fish such as Napoleon (Cheilinus undulatus) whose quota was currently being moratorium, and the Chaetodontidae family which is an indicator of coral health.

Read: Had Conflict with Humans, Lhokbe Finally Can Run Through Gunung Leuser National Park

There are, terrestrial potentially, protected animals such as the yellow-crested cockatoo which is an endangered species according to CITES and a national priority species, charred bird (Megapodius reintwartd), eagles and so on. The potential flora in Satonda harbors an endemic species of Chiloschista phyllorhiza which is not widely known to the public.

It is stated that the small islands of Moyo and Satonda deserve to be proposed as National Parks so that the management of the area can be more optimal with the institutional support, human resources and budgets that meet management needs.***