[Unpad.ac.id, 24/06/2013] Fifteen members of Unpad faculty of animal husbandry mountaineering group Mahatva Faperta is going on an expedition from August 11 to 25, 2013.
Khanif Alfian Irwanto, the head of the expedition, said that Manusela National Park was chosen for its unique characteristics of east Indonesia. “Initially, we were going to Papua. But after thorough research, Manusela National Park has three types of endemic vegetation from 0 to 3055 meters above the sea level, unique to east Indonesia,” said he when interviewed in Unpad Public Relation Office on Friday (21/06). What’s more, the 189,00 hectare square park has yet to become widely known by most Indonesians. Many publications are made by foreign researchers.
The park has Mount Binaya on which Manusela orchid and Binaya ferns which attract most of the team members to study. “In addition to that, we also plan to observe the socio-cultural condition of the Alifuru people who live at the Mount BInaya foothill,” Irwanto added.
The expedition is called ‘seram safir’ for safir (sapphire) resembles the beauty of the Seram Island. The island does not only possess natural beauty, but also economic, cultural, and scientific research potentials.
After the expedition, a seminar will be held to as a medium to publicize the research results that the team will have completed.
“Hopefully, our expedition can get our people to know better about this park and gain more knowledge on it,” said Okky Cahya Utama, the head of Mahatva Faperta.
The team will raise Indonesian flag on August 17 on the peak of Mount Binaya to commemorate Indonesian Independence Day.
