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From the Associate CuratorA Trip to an Indonesian Cloud Forest: A Walk in the CloudsIn August 2011, during a trip to Indonesia, I had some exciting botanical excursions. Joined by Curatorial Assistant Marc Johnson, I toured an endemic cloud forest and connected with colleages at botanical gardens and universities for information, seed and plant exchange. 
Thanks to the botanical connections of former SFBG collections manager, Bian Tan, we had a thorough five-day itinerary including tours of both Bogor Botanic Garden and Cibodas Botanic Garden. The last portion, and the highlight of the trip, was ascending Mt. Gede, a mountain whose trailhead begins just a short walk outside the entrance to Cibodas Botanic Garden. About Cloud ForestsCloud forests are a unique habitat that occurs in very limited areas around the world. They have montane vegetation with cool temperatures and high cloud condensation – wet like rain forests, but at higher elevations (typically 4,500-10,000 feet). They often grow on separate mountain ranges and evolve in isolation separated from other cloud forests by lowland rainforests. Due to their isolation and with agriculture and development creeping further up mountains, cloud forests and their native flora are in urgent need of preservation. Mt. Gede is a national preserve that includes protected cloud forest habitats. Our guided hike took us through forests of Schima wallichii (a Camellia relative) and Dacrycarpus imbricatus (a Podocarpus relative) past a hot spring waterfall, until we reached 6000 feet, the heart of the cloud forest. The flora of this cloud forest were comprised of many different species of plants including melastomes, Vaccinium, and the blue evergreen hydrangea (Dichroa febrifuga), just to name a few. We stopped frequently to photograph, take field notes, measure flowers and leaves, in awe at such an impressive habitat – a habitat that we are now working to recreate at SFBG. SFBG's climate of cool wet winters, mild dry summers and coastal fog allows for many cloud forest species to grow successfully outdoors. Currently, we are in the process of developing a Southeast Asian Cloud Forest collection, the first of its kind in North America. More than 35 young overstory trees have already been planted along with some companion plants, mostly vireya rhododendrons. It is the beginning of what is sure to be one of the most immersing and culturally relevant gardens at SFBG. Once complete, this garden will provide a botanical and cultural backdrop for Asian ceremonies and events in our community. In addition to the Southeast Asian Cloud Forest Collection, SFBG is also home to a wide variety of plants from all over Asia. Most of these plants are in themed geographic gardens providing a glimpse of what it might be like to experience these plants in their native settings. Some of these include:
David Kruse-Pickler |