Botanical Gardens raises environmental awareness

Botanical Gardens raises environmental awareness

By Yudha Kartohadiprodjo

BOGOR, West Java (JP): In the middle of Bogor Botanical
Gardens, on the banks of a pond filled with gigantic water lily,
a small group of high school students were holding a discussion
on the impact of the greenhouse effect on the environment.

A few hours earlier, on the other side of the gardens, a group
of kindergartners was coloring a picture of a bat in an
information package handed out to them after they had sneaked a
peek at the nocturnal animal through binoculars.

They were participating in an Environmental and Biodiversity
Route (Repling) program organized by the Indonesian Institute for
Forest and Environment (RMI), in cooperation with Indonesian
Botanical Gardens and grants from PT Van Melle Indonesia.

With a goal of increasing public awareness on environmental
and biodiversity conservation, the program's mission is to
educate younger generations on environmental issues. RMI focused
the program on students ranging from kindergartners through
college students.

"By giving understanding and awareness of environmental and
biodiversity conservation, it is expected that they (the younger
generation) will become the new conservationists." said RMI's
vice chairwoman, Latifah Hendarti.

But the program is open to the anyone who would like to learn
more of the environment.

"Recently, we accommodate a group of teachers who had just
finished an environmental-related seminar in Bogor. It is never
too late to learn more about the environment we live in," she
added

The program ranges from two hours to three hours, following
routes that correspond with the theme participants choose. Themes
offered by the program include biodiversity, medicinal plants,
forest and wetland ecosystems and the function of wildlife. Each
presentation's depth is tailored to the level of education as
well the intention of the participants.

Programs for kindergartners, for example, concentrate on
edutainment: by introducing environmental topics through fun and
entertaining games.

College students, however, will be presented with more
sophisticated issues on the environment, such as pollution and
deforestation. Dendrology techniques, a scientific study of
trees, may also be introduced.

Families on vacation will be able to choose a diluted program
with a reduced load.

Throughout a path, an RMI facilitator will hold interactive
discussions, pointing out the gardens' rich and distinctive
collections, while enticing the participants' awareness with
contemporary environmental issues through discussions, folk
stories and simulations.

Facilitators encourage participants to ask questions and state
their opinions. Through active interactions, RMI hopes to
introduce a taste of democratic education to Repling
participants.

"We realize the current formal education system in Indonesia
does not accommodate two-way communication between students and
teachers. We would like to excite these kids to ask questions, to
state their opinion, to realize that being different is not
wrong. In short: to be critical," Latifah explained.

Through rigorous training, the facilitators are meant to be
the learning partner of participants. "The program is not meant
to force knowledge into the head of participants. It is meant to
provide a pleasant learning experience," she added.

The facilitators are paid volunteers selected from a pool of
applicants with various backgrounds. "Currently we have students,
teachers and even housewives as our facilitators," said program
coordinator Mia Juniati.

Every month, facilitators will go through an evaluation
program, while discussions on topics such as education, the
environment and other related fields are regularly held to keep
them up to date.

Repling's interactive method has proven to be very useful.
Diah, a former Repling participant who enrolled in its English
program a year ago, said: "Interaction from the facilitator
somehow made me remember more of the program. It is more useful
than just pointing out to us that this is tree A, this is plant
B. It is more interesting, and fun."

For student groups, the program costs Rp 2,800 per student,
with a minimum of three groups and a maximum of eight people in a
group. The general public is charged between Rp 8,000 and Rp
11,000, depending on the size of each group. A family package
costs Rp 28,000. The fee covers admission to the garden, a
facilitator and an information package containing valuable
environmental knowledge. English-speaking facilitators are also
available on request.

So far, 8,000 people have joined the program.

Founded six years ago by seven environmental student-
activists from Bogor Agricultural Institute, RMI's mission is to
foster natural resource conservation in Indonesia by developing
studies and field programs related to protection preservation and
through utilization of natural resources for prosperity of the
community.

RMI currently holds environmental education programs in two
other locations besides Bogor: in Yanlappa Nature Reserve, Tenjo
subdistrict, West Java, and in Eka Karya Botanical Gardens, Bali.
The programs are designed to expose the distinctive features and
characteristics of each botanical garden.

The Repling program in Eka Karya Botanical Gardens offers a
Traditional Ceremonial Plant Route. As participants walk through
the forest, a guide narrates folk stories related to environment
issues as well as the use of native plants in Balinese religious
ceremonies.

Besides Repling, RMI regularly holds environmentally related
seminars open to the public and has organized Siklus, a radio
talk show on environmental issues. It also provides an
ecolandscaping service for companies and individuals interested
in earth-friendly landscaping.

Bogor Botanical Gardens is one of the oldest botanical gardens
in the world. Located in the center of Bogor, a cool, hilly town
an hour's car drive away from Jakarta, the garden has a vast
collection of 3,504 plant species within its 87 hectares. The
garden was founded in 1817 by Dr. Caspar G.C. Reinwardt, a
German-born botanist.

Environmental education like Repling could be a neat
alternative for students currently on holiday. It provides an
educating and entertaining yet affordable program.

Those interested may contact RMI at Jl. Sempur 64, Bogor.
Phone number: (0251) 320647.