Green My Forest and Stop Global Warming

A survey and collection was made of orchids in the PTAYI production forest area. One hundred and ten orchid plants were collected successfully alive and taken to the Bogor Botanic Gardens for identification. This collection includes 25 genera. Sixty-two of the plants collected have been identified to species level. Orchid genera common in the PTAYI forest are Dendrobium, Bulbophyllum, Coelogyne, Agrostophyllum, Eria and Flickingeria. Orchids of the genera Vanda, Phalaenopsis, Paraphalaenopsis, Cymbidium and Paphiopedilum (slipper orchids), which are amongst the most spectacular of Asian orchids, were not seen in the PTAYI forest. The orchid flora of the PT AYI production forest appears to be typical for hill dipterocarp forest in Kalimantan. The majority of the species recorded are widespread in Indonesia. According to available records, only one specimen collected and identified to species level (Thecostele alata) is restricted to Borneo island.

Good management of the PTAYI forest area is important for the long-term conservation of orchids which are not currently threatened, but will become increasingly endangered in the future. Of the taxa (species and genera) collected during this survey, more than twenty were found only on trees along the Pasuang-Ayu and/or Missim Rivers. Trees which are most common in riverside forest and which were noted to be good host species for orchids are biwan (Endertia spectabilis), bikakar (Saraca declinata) and matoa (Pom etia pinnata).

Although many orchids were found in logged forest, the majority of the host trees are remainders of the original forest. Tall dipterocarp trees are often important hosts for orchids, while pioneer trees rarely bear orchids. No specific parts of the PTAYI forest require total protection for conservation of orchids. However, it is important that (a) natural forest is maintained along the larger rivers, (b) timber production is always done so as to minimise damage to the overall forest structure and (c) some old large trees are retained in production areas.

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