Landscape planning of baning peatland ecotourism area at the city of sintang, West Borneo

Abstract

Peatlands play an important role in maintaining the stability of the global ecosystem. Indonesia has the largest peatlands in tropical countries with an estimated 20.6 million ha, which is spread mainly in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Papua, made Indonesia the fourth largest country in the world for peat reserves after Canada, Russia and the United States. The uniqueness of peatland ecosystems at Sintang City with a distinctive flora and fauna has potency for ecotourism objects and attractions, therefore this area would be developed as an ecotourism area. Study objective was to describe and analyze the ecological character of the area; to analyze the ecotourism potential of the area; to analyze public support for the city to the ecotourism development plan at the area; to analyze the support of city development plan to planned area; to plan an ecotourism landscape area of Baning peatlands in Sintang City based on ecological character, ecotourism potential, community support and its links with city development plan. Descriptive qualitative method was used to analyze ecological condition, ecotourism potency, and city development support, AHP method for analyze the community support to planned area, and SBE method for visual quality assessment. About 44,4% of the area is classified as good because still covered by the natural type of peat, 16% has the highest level of ecotourism objects and attractions, and has the highest value of visual quality. The city community and city development plan also support to develop area to be ecotourism area. Ecotourism landscape plan for area is base on balancing between ecological and social aspects. There are three ecotourism zone plan proposed which are limited zone as limited use area, semi-intencsive zone as semi-intensive use area, and intensive zone as highly use area. Limited zone may be develop as a preservation or protection area, semi-intensive zone as conservation and rehabilitation area, and intensive zone as a natural recreation and buffer area. Activities and facilities on the area were planned to sustain the ecotourism area.