Researchers advised to turn to sponsors

Researchers advised to turn to sponsors

JAKARTA (JP): Local scientists have been advised to seek
additional donors for research funding if they want the public to
be aware of and benefit from their studies.

Samaun Samadikun, former head of the Indonesian Institute of
Sciences (LIPI), said scientists have to be more active in
conducting and promoting their studies.

Speaking last week at a presentation by students of marine
sciences on the results of their recent survey of coral reefs
around the Tukangbesi Islands, east of Sulawesi, Samaun stressed
the need to join hands with new financial sources.

The students, all members of the Bogor Agricultural
University's Fisheries Diving Club, held the presentation in
conjunction with Operation Wallacea, their conservation-oriented
expedition to be held in June.

The operation members plan to publish a book documenting bird
and coral reef varieties on the Buton and Tukangbesi Islands.

The Fisheries Diving Club carried out a study last August on
coral reefs around Wangi-wangi, Kaledupa, Togian and Binongko
Islands, which are said to be among the richest coral reef areas
in the country.

Abdul Halim, the survey team's leader, said that at a depth of
three meters, coral coverage ranged between 45 and 96 percent.
Such numbers, he said, were a sign that the communities were in
"good" to "very good" condition and still with a fairly high
level of species diversity.

Results of the two-week survey, which was conducted with the
help of sponsors such as the World Wide Fund for Nature and the
local government, however, were not widely published.

"If you have a scientific task like this, you should not let
it go unnoticed. If you intend to tell the public that there is
great touristic potential in that area, for example, you should
seek good, reliable sponsors to do so," said Ibnu Sutowo,
Chairman of the Wallacea Development Institute.

He cited that Ecosurveys Ltd., an environmental organization
involved in Operation Wallacea, is seeking financial help from
Hongkong Bank and other concerned businesses.(pwn)