Ecology park provides practicum

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

In a bid to introduce children to ecological and environmental issues, the Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI) invited five elementary schools located near the institute's office in Cibinong, West Java, to join field activities on Wednesday.

The students learned how to plant trees in wetlands in LIPI's ecological park (see photo).

"The students are here to learn about the various types of trees that grow in wetlands that we have here in the park and what they contribute to the ecology of the park," Senny Sunanisari of LIPI said.

The Rp 5 billion ecology park was established to help conserve water sources and to function as a green area for Cibinong.

Besides those functions, the 20-hectare park and lake, which has 23 natural water sources, is also meant to educate people of the paramount importance of protecting the environment.

Various kind of fish, shellfish and snails can be found inside the lake.

"Now I know the names of many kinds of water plants, and the importance of water in our lives as well," said Alfina, a fifth- grader at elementary school Cibinong I.