Ferry Hoesain, Man Who Saves Kalimantan Orchid

TheIndonesia.id - The pioneer of orchid conservation in South Kalimantan, Ferry F. Hoesain, tries to save Meratus orchid from extinction due to land conversion in his beloved province.

"Many natural forests as habitat for orchids are degraded. We must save the existence of the Meratus orchid," he said in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan capital, Saturday, December 25, 2021.

Ferry as reported by Antara carried out expeditions to explore the Meratus forest to observe the diversity of orchid species in the mountains that spans eight districts in South Kalimantan. He built a natural orchid nursery which was transformed into a small forest called "Taman Anggrek Meratus" or Meratus Orchid Garden at his residence in Banjarmasin.

On March 12, 2010, he initiated the Indonesian Orchid Love Movement, marked by the planting of Meratus Phalaenopsis amabilis var. Pleihari in the Sultan Adam Forest Park area in Mandiangin, Banjar Regency, by Director General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation at the Ministry of Environment at that time, Ir. Darori.

After ten years, in 2020, Ferry established the Meratus Orchid Garden in the Manjai Hill Valley, East Mandiangin, Banjar Regency. This park became a nursery location before the orchids were transferred to their habitat.

There are several rare species of orchids that have been planted naturally, such as the giant orchid (Grammatophyllum speciosum), the Pleihari moon orchid (Phalaenopsis amabilis), and other orchids that are typical of the Meratus orchid.

Ferry, who is also the founder and builder of the Indonesian Meratus Orchid Foundation (YAMI), said that replanting orchids could be interpreted as an effort to save the priceless wealth of germplasm in the tropical rain forests of Kalimantan. Indonesia has the largest diversity of orchids in the world. It could be that there are many other types of orchids that have become extinct before being identified due to the massive land-use change in the last two decades.

The author of "The Enchantment of the Meratus Orchid" book hopes that at the Meratus Orchid Garden, orchids can grow and be well maintained. It also becomes a place for education and research on the beautiful and exotic Meratus orchid with its various shapes and colors.

Head of the Indonesian Orchid Association (PAI) of South Kalimantan Province, Hj Aida Muslimah, who awarded Ferry F. Hoesain as an orchid pioneer, said that Ferry and several other activists are very dedicated and consistent in preserving orchids.

"Several local orchid figures have succeeded in pioneering the growth and development of the orchid world in South Kalimantan, including saving the preservation of the Meratus orchid," she said