SLEMAN – In spite of being rich of mineral, Indonesia is apparently also rich of karst area. Total of 15.4 million hectares of karst is spread almost throughout Indonesia. In Yogyakarta itself, karst areas can be found in Gunungsewu, Gunungkidul Regency. People still assume that karst area is a dry and difficult area of ??water. It turns out that karst areas actually save extraordinary wealth.

The discussion on karst was just held Tuesday (27/02/2018) at the Meeting Room of the 2nd  floor of the Petroleum Engineering Building, entitled " Pengelolaan Kawasan Karst Untuk Pembangunan Yang Berkelanjutan (The Management of Karst Areas for Sustainable Development)". Held by Karst Study Center of LLPM UPN and Master of Disaster Management, it was filled by Prof. Sari Bahagiarti K. M.Sc. (Rector o f UPN and UPN Karst Study Center), Dr. Eko Teguh Paripurno (Center for Disaster Management Study of UPN), Dr. Ir. Soeryo Adiwibowo M.S (IPB), and guided by Arif Riyanto BN. S.T., M.Sc. (Geomatics UPN).

Quoted from Wikipedia, Karst is a form of the earth's surface which is generally characterized by the presence of closed depression, surface drainage, and cave. This area is formed mainly by the dissolution of rocks, and most limestone. Prof Sari said, to see karst must be as a whole of a karst system. "The classification may occur and may consist of several components, but must be seen asa whole," she said. Karst hydrogeological system is unique because although the surface looks dry in the dry season, it is actually able to store water in large quantities.

Karst has a strategic value of science, economics, and humanity. This area has a high economic value and mined potency for basic building materials to the cosmetics. "There is also a potential farm in Gunungkidul, which is the largest livestock supplier in Indonesia," she said.

Other economic value is also seen because karst is a source of clean water. In spite of being used for swimming or tourist area, UPN itself once did an cooperation drilling of Mount Kendil, and produced a brand drinking water packing "Ardo" which stands for Air Doa. (Lucia Yuriko)