Science Club is extraordinary club<\/p>\n
By Stevie Emilia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Biological Science Club, which has been in
\nthe news with the kidnapping of four of its members while on a
\nscientific expedition in Irian Jaya, is anything but a club.<\/p>\n
In the opinion of its executive director, Yuda N. Laman, the
\nword "club" has somewhat become a liability, although the group
\nis now stuck with the name it was christened with in 1969.<\/p>\n
"We find the use of the word 'club' slightly disturbing in the
\norganization," Yuda told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Most people who have no knowledge of the organization tend to
\nassociate it with clubs for nature lovers, he said.<\/p>\n
But because it has promoted environmental conservation
\nthroughout its 27-year history, the group is now recognized by
\nthe government, financial sponsors, non-governmental
\norganizations and local communities it has worked with, as an
\norganization which aims to benefit the science world as well as
\nthe community.<\/p>\n
Due to the scientific nature of its activities and because its
\ncommunity work has been targeted at specific groups, the club was
\nrelatively unknown to the public.<\/p>\n
Until a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n
The club and its activities were thrust into the limelight
\nwhen members of its flora and fauna expedition in the Lorentz
\nnature reserve in Irian Jaya were kidnapped by local separatist
\nrebels.<\/p>\n
There had been suggestions earlier that they were kidnapped
\nbecause the expedition was trampling on areas regarded sacred by
\nthe local people. This however was not the case, and the
\nmotivation of the rebels was purely political.<\/p>\n
Yuda said his club's concerns include the over-exploitation of
\nnatural resources, environmental damage, pollution and commercial
\nutilization of rare plants and animals.<\/p>\n
"We always involve local communities in our work," he said.<\/p>\n
The club provides a channel for biologists to reach grassroot
\ncommunities.<\/p>\n
The organization's members spare the local people the
\ntechnical complexity of biology, he said. "Rather, we try to
\nenlighten them about the benefits of biology in their lives and
\nin their environment."<\/p>\n
The club was founded on Sept. 9, 1969, by biology students at
\nthe Nasional University in Jakarta. By 1992, it had acquired
\nmembers and interests beyond the campus and decided to function
\non its own, although its office on Jl. H. Noor is still close to
\nthe university.<\/p>\n
Now the club, which boasts 600 members, has several working
\ngroups which reflect the range of its interests and activities:
\netnobotany, agroforestry and social forestry, wildlife and
\necology, pollution and hornbills. The members include 72
\nprofessional and experienced researchers.<\/p>\n
As a non-governmental organization, the club's goal is to
\nconduct field research for the benefit and development of local
\ncommunities and the population at large.<\/p>\n
Yuda expressed the importance of involving local people in
\nevery project which relates to the environment.<\/p>\n
"Some environmental damage is caused by local people. For
\ninstance, they hunt rare animals or steal wood from conservation
\nareas. But we can't blame them entirely. They do that because of
\ntheir socioeconomic condition," he said.<\/p>\n
Rather than looking for scapegoats, club members study the
\nproblems facing local communities. "Then we help them find
\nalternative ways of finding food."<\/p>\n
One such project the organization is currently involved is in
\nthe Gunung Halimun National Park in West Java, a joint pilot
\nproject with the University of Indonesia and Wildlife
\nPreservation Trust International.<\/p>\n
"We plan to expand the Halimun area into a tourism destination
\nwhere the local people can earn a livelihood by selling
\nhandicrafts," Yuda said. The plan is expected to bear fruit in
\n1998.<\/p>\n
The club had planned to do the same in the Lorentz reserve and
\nat the time of the abduction the expedition was making a
\npreliminary study about the plants and animals in the reserve.<\/p>\n
"The Lorentz area includes one of the most complete ecosystems
\nin the Asia-Pacific region and in the world. It's important that
\nwe maintain its natural resources," Yuda said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/science-club-is-extraordinary-club-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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