Save the Beach Trees! Keep Bali Green!

We, friends of Bali and the beach, respectfully request that the Legian district of Kuta, Bali, Indonesia stop cutting the waru (hibiscus tiliaceus) trees along the beach. These trees are an integral part of the beach environment, provide much needed shade, and help clean the air. These trees give people a cool place to sit and relax, get a massage, or eat a bakso. They provide a place for children to play without getting sunburned. The trees also shade much of the road, making it pleasant place to walk or ride a bicycle. The waru trees provide a home for many singing birds and, more importantly, their large root systems help prevent erosion caused by high tides and big waves.

We feel Bali needs more trees not less. Instead of cutting down the waru trees, please plant the coconut/palm trees between the waru trees, and plant more ketapang (sea almond, terminalia catappa) and camplung (a local tree of the genus calophyllum).

The natural environment of the waru and the ketapang trees is the beach. They require very little care, other than a little water when young and a bit of trimming when they get big to keep a good shape. The coconuts seem to require more care when they are small and many do not survive. A beach lined with only coconut or palm trees does not provide much shade and makes the beach area much hotter. Many tourists are afraid to sit under a coconut for fear that a coconut might fall on their heads.

Standing on the beach, one can look from Kuta to Canggu and see many, many different green trees (waru, ketapang, camplung, mangrove, coconut, etc). A mixed ecology of shade trees creates a wonderful cool, and natural environment. One of the reasons that brings us to Bali is the island's distinctive lush and beautiful environment.

An army of coconut trees lining the beach does not really look like Bali. It could be Mexico or Miami. It could be Dubai or any other tropical beach. We love the beach with many different kinds of trees!

Please don't destroy this wonder. Keep the beach a cool, green, and pleasant place for everyone to enjoy!

Thank you for your consideration,
Friends of the Beach