Judul: Interpretation Planning on Birdwatching Program in the Center for Plant Conservation Bogor Botanic Garden, West Java.
Abstrak: Center for Plant Conservation Bogor Botanic Garden of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (PKT KRB – LIPI) is a favourite destination in Bogor. Most of visitors come to enjoy its beautiful scenery and landscape, but only few of them interest in animals (Ibrahim 2006). In fact, PKT KRB is also a place to stay for some birds, including migrating birds stopover (Sukmantoro 2007). Prior researches has discovered 43 – 62 kinds of bird in PKT KRB since 1932 up to 2013 (Diamond et. al. 1987; Van Balen 1999; Levelink et. al. 1997; Tirtaningtyas 2004). In order to increase visitor interests of birds in PKT KRB a proper interpretation program shall be made to conect a bridge between people and birds that live in PKT KRB. A good interpretation program came from a well-defined plan which made through dynamic and systematic data inventarization, analysis, synthesis and interpretation plan (Sharpe 1982). The research of interpretation planning for birdwatching in PKT KRB was conducted from May 2013 and June 2013. It was carried in 12 areas in PKT KRB based on plant categories. It also equipped with Binoculars, Global Positioning System (GPS), DSLR camera (Nikon D7000), Sigma 150-500 mm lense, tripod, birds identification books, sets of questionaire, interview guidance, PKT KRB’s field map, and a timer. During the activities, data was collected in three times— morning (around 06.00-08.00), noon (around 11.00-13.00), and afternoon (around 15.00-17.00) in each area for three days. Birdwatching data were collected using Mac Kinnon list (MacKinnon et. al. 2010) which consisted of 5 kinds of bird in a list and ended up to 36 list altogether. Despite of birds identification and distribution in PKT KRB through birdwatching activity, the research also conducted to find out visitor, bird experts, and management responses about PKT KRB birdwatching program through interviews. Interview activities were held to 100 respondents from elementary, junior high, and senior high school students, college students, and other visitors. Interview also held to 15 respondets from bird lovers, 2 respondents from bird experts, and 2 respondents from PKT KRB’s management. The research was able to identify 48 kinds of bird which belong to 23 birds family. However, based on interviews, conservation status, endemicities, and bird existances over the years, the numbers of potential bird to be the object of birdwatching program in PKT KRB had been narrowed down to only 25 kinds of bird. In order to increase visitor interest on birdwatching in PKT KRB, the research has come up with 3 different interpretation tracks which suited to areas where most of birds acquitance are high. On the first track, “Water Birds Track”, visitor could see black-crowned night-heron as its main object. Secondly, on the “Rare Birds Track” some rare birds, such as blue-eared kingfisher, collared kingfisher, plain-throated sunbird, and red-breasted parakeet are easily to find in a high rate of acquitence. Thirdly, on the “Endemic Birds Track”, some endemic birds, such as grey-cheeked green-pigeon, scarlet-headed flowerpecker dan olivebacked tailor bird are in a high rate of acquintance. The main topic of this research is “Touting birds diversity in PKT KRB”.
Keyword: Interpretation planning, bird diversity, birdwatching