Cempaka Culture and Tourism: Bird watching, national park's ecotourism lure

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …”

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Bird watching, national park's ecotourism lure

Bambang Parlupi, Contributor The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Bird watching has become an exciting ecotourism activity in Sebangau National Park, Central Kalimantan, with 106 bird species recorded in the 568,700-hectare forest conservation area.

Binoculars and a bird guidebook are all that are required to enjoy the wild birds within or on the fringes of the forest, while the morning and afternoon are the best times to see these lovely creatures feeding, playing and seeking mates.

Petak Bahandang village in Tasik Payawan district is one of the most interesting locations in which to observe bird life. Situated on the border of Sebangau National Park, the settlement is about three hours' sail from Kasongan port, Palangkaraya. Part of the village population belongs to the Dayak ethnic group.

In Petak Bahandang, a mainly agricultural community, no fewer than 10 bird species can be detected around the forest border close to the community farms. Among them are the rhinoceros hornbills (Buceros rhinoceros), swallows, greater coucals (Centropus sinensis) and various honeyeaters.

Brahminy kites are among the protected birds of prey that
live around Sebangau National Park. (JP/Bambang Parlupi)

It is also nice to watch the birds near the swamps or woodlands along the banks of the Katingan River. Bird watchers can cruise down the river, which is more than 200 meters wide, while surveying the behavior of birds, notably brahminy kites (Haliastur indus), which are frequently found perching on the top branches of tall trees. These rare hawks are known for their graceful flight.

Around the peatland forest park, visitors can also find hornbills, a protected species active in the afternoon and morning. "They are generally seen in pairs, flying from one branch to another," said Tatang Suwardi, a national park officer and bird watcher.

"The birds also indicate that this area remains in a natural condition with its food supply chain (intact)," said the forest ecosystem control officer.

The nature reserve has various forest sub-types. Its marshy forest is home to diverse land and water biota while its non-wood products like rattan, rubber and jelutung resin are utilized by locals. Rattan and resin are mostly found on Sebangau and Katingan riversides. The other unique feature of this park is that 95 percent of its ecosystem is composed of peatland.

According to Drasosopolino, head of Sebangau National Park, the peat forest in Central Kalimantan is in general seriously damaged due to illegal logging and forest fires, which are harder to prevent every year. Peat fires are difficult to extinguish because the flames spread beneath the soil's surface. "Now the only peat land left is located in Sebangau National Park," he said, adding that peat could also function as a climate regulator and fresh water reserve.

Although some regions in the province are former forest concession and illegal logging areas, Sebangau National Park and its environs continue to possess highly diversified species of fauna and flora. Its natural beauty enhances its ecotourism status, with its forest abounding in exotic vegetation, besides unique wildlife like its 35 species of primates.

Sebangau is also home to thousands of orangutans and proboscis monkeys. These primates, however, cannot be found around Petak Bahandang village, which is teeming with countless birds and their cheerful sounds, which fill the air before dawn and dusk.

The writer is a member of Sahabat Burung Indonesia, a bird observation and conservation association in Indonesia.