Palu touts park as research and tourist destination

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu

Palu city and Donggala regency are promoting Palu Grand Forest Park as a Central Sulawesi tourist and research destination. The park encompasses Paboya subdistrict in Palu and Pombewe and Ngatabaru villages in Donggala.

Palu Mayor Rusdy Mastura told The Jakarta Post the park was ideal for biological, ecological and geological research, as well as sociocultural studies involving local communities.

He said the park had the potential to serve as a site for education, training and research, and would make a great destination for tourists.

The mayor said the park featured a distinctive arid ecosystem and contained vegetation usually found in drier areas, such as acacia trees (Acacia decurens), sandalwood trees (Santalum album) and different kinds of grass and underbrush.

Exotic ground orchids flourish in the Paneki forest preserve, including the Andolla (Anthocephalus sp.), Bintangur (Callopyyllum sp.), Kelata (Dyera lowil) and Rau (Drancontomelon mangiferum).

Apart from its unique flora species, the park in Paboya and the surrounding areas is home to a number of animal species, such as the yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphlirea), turtledove (Geopelia sp.), brown eagle (Elanushypolaneus) and monitor lizard (Varanus sp.).

"Researchers can conduct studies here while enjoying the panorama over Palu valley and Palu bay," said the mayor.

Palu Grand Forest Park was established by a 1995 Forestry Ministry decree. The park covers 8,100 hectares, including 1,000 hectares in Paboya, 7,000 hectares in Paneki and 100 hectares where the National Reforestation Program is located.