Binaiya, a Rare Fern from Maluku

Manusela National Park Office reported that one protected plant in Maluku, the binaiya fern (Chyathea binayana) is almost extinct due to ecosystem disturbances. Binaiya is difficult to protect because it only grows at an altitude of 3,027 meters above sea level in Central Maluku.

"So this binaiya fern is in the last condition. There is indeed a slight disturbance to the ecosystem, we tried to install a camera trap there, the results were temporary, there was deer activity. So maybe this is disturbing," said Head of Manusela National Park Agency, MHD Zaidi, as quoted by Antara in Ambon, Sunday, March 27, 2022.

He said deers damaged the protected plants because they lacked food. “What we see now is that the deer are already playing there. Whether the deer used to play there, we don't have data yet. That's why we installed the camera, only now will we know that the deer play there," he said.

Manusela National Park Center has been trying to find a solution to protect the fern binaiya. He admitted that it was a bit difficult because the habitat is at an altitude above 3,000 meters above sea level.

"If it lives at that altitude, there's no way we can cultivate him below. The least we can do is the protection of their habitat only," he said.

Manusela National Park has one function as a conservation area for flora diversity on Seram Island, including in this case the preservation of the Binaiya fern species which is a type of fern endemic to Seram Island whose habitat is around Binaiya Peak.

The shape of this type of fern is almost like a coconut tree, so it is easy to distinguish it from other types of ferns. On the upper stem, there is only a shallow indentation of the attached petiole. The height of the Binaiya Fern stem can reach 10 - 12 meters with a rough and very hard stem texture, so it is not uncommon to see ferns that have died but the stems still stand tall and strong.