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Palnt conservation efforts aim to ensure the continuing exitence of valued plant species. An example of the benefits of such activity is the Cibulan tourist attraction in Kuningan Regency wich indirectly contributes to plant conservation by preserving a sacred location with traditional mythic associations. At this site, there are eleven well-established, large-diameter trees (dbh>50cm) belonging to the following five species: 'ambit' or 'anyang-anyang' (Elaeocarpus grandiflorus Sm.); 'cempaka putih' 9michelia X alba DC.); 'lame' (Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.); 'gayam' (Inocarpus fagifer (Parkinson) Fosberg); and 'bunut' (Ficus virens aiton). The tourist attractions at Cibulan with its huge trees represents a large carbon storage reserve; for example, the five 'ambit' trees growing there ranged from 4.77 to 17.38 tons of sequestered C per tree. This demonstrates the importance of this tourist attraction not just for its cultural and recreational value, but also as a location for conserving valuable tree species with the additional benefit of removing large amounts of carbon dioxide from atmosphere that would otherwise be contributing to global-warming. |
