Greetings from Indonesia
Entering the second year of the reforestation project, we are nurturing the seedlings that we have planted. Young trees are vulnerable to dryness, and a rainless spell after June 2009 killed 40% of them. We have been replanting these dead seedlings with new ones since it started raining again in mid-September. Some seedlings can bear thirst; some cannot. But it is important to plant both and ensure biodiversity or else the entire plantation risks survival in the opposite (a humid) environment. Each tree has a distinct personality , like humans. Some people exhibit talent as early as childhood, and others are late bloomers. We conduct all our activities through discussion with the park staff and the local community.
In August 2009, we visited four educational facilities including Islamic schools and elementary schools. About 50 children from each institution participated in our environmental education program. The students learned about protecting the environment through presentations, videos, games, quizzes, books from a mobile library, music, and discussions.
Our video presentation conveys the message: “Let’s preserve the natural environment!” At one of our activity sessions at an elementary school near the Genung Gede Pangrango National Park, we interviewed students about their opinions on environmental preservation. We have compiled this footage into a short educational video for children in Japanese schools
Environmental education
We are investigating and monitoring the diversity of wildlife in the national park. This term, we focused our efforts on monitoring the endangered Javan leopard. We have ten cameras set up throughout the park to collect data on this big cat as well as other species.
Wildlife investigation in the Genung Gede Pangrango National Park
