Fancy a Tree House in Bali?

(11/6/2010)

The National News Agency Antara reports that a large "Out Bound" or "Adventure Nature Tour" center will be built in at Lake Buyan in the village of Pancasari, Buleleng regency, Bali.

The announcement was made by the regency's secretary, Ketut Gegel Ariadi, following his meeting on Wednesday, November 3, 2010, with the director of PT Tree Top Indonesia, Arif Zul Permana. According to Gegel, an investment review team has been formed to review the project headed by the 2nd Assistant of the Regency's Secretariat, I Made Widiartha. Regency officials supporting the project have called on PT Tree Top Indonesia to obey all administrative and legal requirement for the project, including socializing the concept to the Pancasari, Catur Desa and other surrounding communities of Lake Buyan and Lake Tamblingan. This is, according to Gegel, essential as the letter of recommendation for the project from the Regent of Buleleng, Putu Bagiada, contains the agreement of surrounding populations as a pre-requirement to the project's eventual consummation.

Gegel also said the investor is being asked to obtain formal permission from the Bali Conservation of Nature Authority (Balai Konservasi Sumber Daya Alam (BKSDA-Bali) who are charged with protecting forested areas of Bali.

Arif describe the "adventure tour" concept envisioned in Bali's mountain-lake district as including a number of "zip-lines" covering a distance of 3 kilometers. The group is also proposing to establish visitor facilities and nature trails.

Arif said: "Our preliminary thoughts are that there will be around 30,000 visitors over the first year of operation with 10% of our profits allocated to conservation, temple preservation, community betterment and reforestation."

Arif told Bisnis Bali that the size of the total investment in the Tree Top adventure project is put AT US$600,000. The tourism concept will utilize between 800 and 1,000 hectare of protected forest lands surrounding Lake Buyan.