The area around Mt. Batukaru and the western lakes is the last quality section of jungle in Bali. Jungle trekking groups come up here and there are wonderful forests at various elevations. From the Eco Lodge it's possible to hike up and do an overnight trek to the summit of Mt. Batukaru (2,278 meters), sleeping in tents. Linda told me there are lichen and ferns and moss dripping from the trees.
Also this area contains some of the most unique bird life on the island. The trek is not circular, you have to come back the same was, and Norm wants to develop and eco-friendly circumnavigation of Mt. Batukaru and the lakes. If I was the governor of Bali I'd make Norm environment man #1. We discussed some of the issues here in Bali, such as the burning of plastic garbage and stalks from the fields. Norm said the plastic garbage gives off a toxic waste, sometimes containing lead, that is disperses into the air and then settles everywhere. He told me that the US and Japan have not introduced a new large scale incinerator over there for 15 years because they've realized you cannot get the thing hot enough to burn all the contaminants.
Regarding the field burning I suggested composting. Norm said that if you go back 40 years the Balinese never used to burn the fields, they understood it was necessary to plough stuff back into the soil. Nowadays they nuke it with pesticides. "They are actually lazy farmers," said Norm "Many of the young guys don't know how to farm like their grandfathers did." My 2 biggest issues concerning the environment in Bali are unrestricted building and air pollution. Norm said his biggest issues were habitat destruction and the poisoning of streams with the run off from fields.
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