By Moira Moeliono
West Kalimantan province in Indonesia is home to a great amount of biodiversity, cultural diversity, and local sources of food that are essential to well-being of the people living there. But elders and customary leaders have become increasingly concerned that traditional knowledge and values are fading, especially among younger generations.
In response, the COLANDS team in Indonesia has been working with partners – including community leaders – to support training on biodiversity for teachers in the Kapus Hulu district to help them pass on knowledge and values by integrating these into school curricula and awareness programs.
Teachers have said they are concerned young people aren’t aware of biodiversity and its importance; and have no knowledge of endemic local species, including orangutans whose population is being threatened. Now, these educators are being trained in how to educate young people so they can be an example in their own homes, among their families, of good behaviour in terms of environmental awareness.
Different approaches are developed for different student ages, from elementary to high-school levels. Older students get hands-on experience by, for example, examining local fungi just outside the school grounds while studying their uses and benefits. In another case, older students are developing a waste-management project, collecting, sorting and recycling inorganic matter.
Younger students are learning how traditional knowledge and customs are important for the protection of orangutans and their habitat and why orangutans are valuable in forest preservation; for example, by spreading seeds over long distances while eating. This works to ensure new trees are constantly being planted.
Science studies are focusing on knowledge of the local natural ecosystem, and endemic flora and fauna in Kapus Hulu. Social science and art classes teach about customs, arts and culture of the area and what it means for life in the future.
Students are also taught the importance of the nearby Danau Sentarum National Park. COLANDS has been supporting the development of principles in managing the Area – collaborative management considering traditional knowledge, environmental sustainability, improved well-being and capabilities, and improving connectivity. These principles were developed during stakeholder discussions during workshops in 2024.
