Karst area in Indonesia covers an area of about 15.4 million hectares and spreads almost throughout Indonesia with an estimated life starting from 470 million years to the latest about 700.000 years.
The existence of this region shows that the islands of Indonesia are many of which have been the sea, but then lifted and experiencing hardening. The karst region is usually hilly with many caves.
Examples like in Cibalong District, Tasikmalaya District there are many caves and the amount reaches hundreds. Even a few years ago, the caves were joined from Tasikmalaya Caving Community (TCC) have carried out searching and research in a number of areas recorded as many as 319 goa. According to him, it was recently found in several districts in the region. The Secretary of TCC Fajar Utama estimated that there are more goa in Tasikmalaya Regency.
The region around the cave will get a lot of advantages. Especially the farmland will be quite assisted with the presence of caves, as the cave is habitat for bats. A bat in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem is very important, for example as a natural poll. There are several plants that cannot be cultivated by humans, because the plant can only be passed by the bat.
Freshness can also become natural fertilizer for soil fertility. According to Fajar in addition to fruit-fruiting, bats are insects of insects. The pests of rice fields are also eaten bats. It proves that bats greatly help farmers suppress the pest population of rice fields.
Gua with porous limestone also serves to hold water or as a water source. When the rain falls the water will be absorbed by a carst rock like a spon absorbs water. Then the water will be excluded to the river in the soil and to the spring that will be utilized by humans.
In addition to being beneficial for fertility and maintaining the ecosystem, the cave can be utilized as a tourist object and education. Many scientists say goa is a living museum. For the structure of rock, soil and animal living in the cave can be a research object.
The structure of the Speleological Activities (Hikespi) Alex Mahmudin Ali added, is quite awaited many caves in Indonesia mined for industrial needs.
In the developed state of the cave is under the supervision of the Department of Heritage, even treated in the form of conservation. "In addition, the cave was sold for educational institutions," said Alex.
In the world of education in the country forwards primary school students have been taught about natural sustainability science. The science will be the basis of their awareness to preserve the natural sustainability. But in the country that has many natural potentials, there is no curriculum of natural sustainability in the world of education.
Photo and Text: Bow Adeng
