Forestry minister gets conservation medal
Forestry minister gets conservation medal
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Forestry Djamaludin Suryohadikusumo
has received a Golden Ark medal for his efforts to promote
environmental conservation, particularly in relation to tropical
forests.
The medal was presented on Sunday by Dutch Prince Bernhard at
Soesdijk Palace in the Netherlands. The medal was presented on
behalf of the Golden Ark Foundation, according to a statement
issued yesterday by the Ministry of Forestry.
The Golden Ark is an internationally-recognized award
presented for outstanding efforts in protecting the environment.
The medal, which is equal to a Dutch knighthood, has so far
been awarded to 260 people, including nine Indonesians.
Among the Indonesians awarded the medal are President
Soeharto, former environment minister Emil Salim, Sultan Hamengku
Buwono IX of Yogyakarta and former forestry minister Soedjarwo.
At Sunday's ceremony, Djamaludin received the "Coomandeur"
Golden Ark award, the highest honor, together with Prof. Ake-Assi
of Ivory Coast.
In the presence of Dutch Queen Beatrix, Djamaludin presented a
book on Indonesia's natural environment and a wooden carving of a
Komodo lizard to Prince Bernhard as souvenirs.
According to the statement, Prince Bernhard praised Djamaludin
for his support for the Leuser National Park project, which
covers 1.8 million hectares of forest land in Aceh, northern
Sumatra.
The project, costing up to Rp 90 billion (US$39.4 million),
will be managed by the Leuser Foundation. The funds will come
from the European Union.
The Golden Ark Foundation consists of people who have been
awarded the Golden Ark medal for dedication to the conservation
of endangered plants and animals.
During his tour of the Netherlands, Djamaludin also met with
academics of the Netherland's Wageningen Agricultural University
to discuss, among others subjects, the possibility of conducting
exchange programs, "sandwich" courses and cooperation in training
and research projects.
Such cooperation is expected to allow Dutch professors to
teach in Indonesia and to help upgrade the curricula of several
forestry schools of Indonesian universities, including Bogor
Agricultural University in West Java, Gadjah Mada University in
Yogyakarta, Mulawarman University in Samarinda, East Kalimantan,
Hasanuddin University in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, and
Lambungmangkurat University in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.
Meanwhile, Indonesia will send lecturers to the Netherlands to
conduct research and study which will enable them to broaden
their understanding of forestry.
According to yesterday's statement, the rector of Wageningen
University will visit Indonesia at the end of January next year
to sign the accord.
Djamaludin also met with the director of the World Wildlife
Fund for Nature in the Netherlands, Ed Nijpels, to discuss eco-
labeling.
The two reportedly agreed that once an eco-labeling
requirement comes into force in the year 2010, only wood
harvested from environmentally-sound tropical forests will be
eligible for the eco-label. (pwn)