Beyond concrete jungles: managing urban green spaces as butterfly hotspot and their implications for ecotourism in Pontianak City, Indonesia

Abstract

Urbanization and development in urban areas have led to changes in natural habitat of wildlife, including butterflies. To address this challenge, the development of green spaces as animal habitats and increasing public awareness of butterfly conservation through ecotourism programs are steps that can be taken. This paper explores the importance of RTH in Pontianak City related to its function as a butterfly habitat and its effective development strategy in supporting ecotourism programs, namely butterfly watching. The research was conducted from April 2022 to May 2023 in four green spaces in Pontianak City using the Pollard Walk technique in several seasons. The results showed the presence of 27 butterfly species from five families spread throughout the observation location. The diversity of butterfly species identified in each area and observation period indicates that the green spaces in Pontianak City can be developed as conservation and recreation areas based on environmental education. Management by creating habitat characteristics that support the presence of butterflies by considering the use of local plant species and landscape connectivity, as well as management that balances the needs of conservation, recreation, and education, conservation-oriented planning, and active involvement of related parties can help encourage the development of urban ecotourism.