Sigi Local Gov't Teams up with BRIN to Build Botanical Garden

TheIndonesia.co - The local government of Sigi in Central Sulawesi is teaming up with the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) to design and build a botanical garden in the regency to support tourism potential and conservation effort.

Sigi regent Mohamad Irwan said his office is optimistic that the botanical garden will create positive outcomes to the regency and the people.

“The development of botanical garden will make positive impacts to the region’s development that will also affect people’s welfare,” Irwan said on Wednesday, July 27, as reported by Antara.

The regent and BRIN head Laksana Tri Handoko signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the botanical garden development on Wednesday in Jakarta.

Irwan added that in 2018, Sigi signed similar agreement with the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), which is now part of BRIN, and the local government has prepared a 52-hectare land in Sidondo III village in Sigi Biromaru urban ward to be the location for the botanical garden.

The regent said the development of botanical garden is considered an urgency as the regency is blessed with the potential, and the facility can greatly boost tourism industry and support conservation effort in Sigi.

“Furthermore, the botanical garden will help the growth of products from micro, small, and medium enterprises that will improve economy,” Irwan said.

Besides collaborating with BRIN, Sigi will also work with Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) to perfect the plan.

BRIN head Laksana Tri Handoko said the institution fully supports the plan as the role of botanical gardens is crucial for conservation, education, research, and tourism as well as improving air quality in an area.