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.