REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Environmental Affairs and Forestry Ministry will provide facilities and infrastructure to support the development of Mount Tambora National Park which is located in West Nusa Tenggara.

The ministry has also noticed an indication of illegal logging activities in the newly-established national park, Environmental Affairs And Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar said in a statement, Sunday.

The ministry is making coordination with the West Nusa Tenggara administration regarding planned construction works of facilities and infrastructure such as new roads, bridges, bird watching stations, hiking trails, and hill climbing tracks.

The ministry with the assistance of the West Nusa Tenggara Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) will improve the public awareness of forest preservation, deer hunting, and nomadic farming method.

To protect the forest, the ministry has introduced a system of adopting trees, particularly endemic ones such as Duobanga trees that could reach a height of up to 40 meters with a diameter of 120 cm.

The ministry will also organize a clean up campaign along Mount Tambora hiking trails.

On Saturday, President Joko Widodo inaugurated Mount Tambora National Park coinciding with the 200th commemoration of the eruption of Mount Tambora which is located in Doro Ncanga, Dompu District, West Nusa Tenggara Province.

The head of state emphasized on the importance Mount Tambora National Park, stating that it was an asset that must be preserved and developed to benefit local people.

Joko Widodo ordered local people to preserve and look after the region well to turn it into an ecotourism destination.

The government transformed Mount Tambora areas previous having statuses of sanctuary, wildlife reserve and hunting park into a national park.

The new national park covers a total area of 71,644 hectares, previously consisting of a 23,840-ha nature sanctuary, a 21,674-ha wildlife reserve, and a 26,130-ha of hunting park.

The volcano powerfully erupted in April 1815.

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