Editorial

This year it is 175 years ago that the Botanical Garden of Bogor (’s Lands Plantentuin, Buitenzorg) was founded. From a humble origin it became one of the most important gardens in South East Asia, if not of the whole tropical world. Its history has been extensively described by Rijnberg (1922) and briefly by Ms. Soegiarto (1992), unfortunately only in Dutch and Indonesian, respectively. Set up as an experimental garden for the cultivation of species of economic importance, it has been instrumental in the introduction of the oilpalm, rubber, and kina in Indonesia and surrounding countries. As the various staff members made extensive exploration tours over the then Dutch East Indies many species were brought back of unknown value, and at its height there were perhaps 10,000 different ones in cultivation! Sadly that number has declined considerably through natural causes as old age, storms, floods, drought, and also by war, neglect, mismanagement, and changes in attitude about the aims of the Garden. Today it seems more a tourist attraction than a pinnacle of scientific research, but that problem has always been present in various forms. New plans are in the making to elevate the status whereby it will be supervised directly by the Chairman of LIPI, with the intention that the management will become more decisive, and that the scientific impact will be enhanced.