SUMATRA NATURE AND BIO DIVERSITY CONSERVATION
In order to protect wildlife and their environment it is essential to create public awareness and educational programmes , educating school children and being able to show that alternative farming and protection methods can be employed for example the creation of animal corridors to by-pass agricultural and residential land, to teach the co-operation of farmers and how animals and humans can co-exist without the threat to income and livelihoods.
HAWCS supports the work of the Jungle Library project and the Sumatra Camera Trap project by raising funds and awareness ,to assist in providing environmental education and sustainable agricultural practices and to highlight the importance of the bio-diversity contained within Sumatra.
Jungle Library Project
Jungle library project promotes environmental education to the children living in highly deforested areas of Sumatra, which have human/wildlife conflict. This project raises environmental awareness through stories and photography in South Sumatra where the land has been changed through logging, poaching and plantation growth.
Education is a key to counteracting some of the destructive practices that threaten the health of the environment.
Through an environmental education syllabus, primary school students are taught about species native to Sumatra, ecosystem function, and environmental destruction. The aim is for the future generation to take a sustainable approach to protecting the environment which will also benefit them to prevent landslides, flooding, food shortages, forest fires and devastating drops in the water table.
The Mobile Library Program is a part of an education program that provides access to semi-literacy books provided by green-books.org and encourages children to read more about the environment that surrounds them.
Location of the Education Programme
1. The project is in two highly deforested areas of Tebing Tinggi Nature Reserve (46,122,60 hectars)
Located on two different Administration Area of Lahat and Empat Lawang, South Sumatra There are 28 villages around the nature reserve, with 5 elementary schools in the villages where employment is mostly in logging and plantation work, and the 2nd is the elementary school located in the village in the Trawas District , Musi Rawas , the Border of Kerinci Seblat National Park . This village is at the gateway of the National, Park. Working in collaboration with the Biodiversity and Conservation Agency of South Sumatra a permit is issued to provide an education program for the Flora Conservation Act, and this offers the protection by law as registered Local Conservationist organisation in South Sumatra , support is offered by the Chief of the villages and Teachers’ to conduct classes.
2. The Jungle Library project also collaborates with The Sumatran Camera Trap Project . This grass roots conservation effort deploys camera traps into areas of rainforest in South Sumatra province which have previously been unresearched . Isau isau Nature Reserve is the first study site and this has proven to be a stronghold for rare and endangered species such as the Sun bear, Sumatran Leopard, Siamong Gibbon , Southern Pigtailed Macaque , Mitred leaf monkey , Malayan tapir and many more.
3. Along with the support from other NGO’s and organisations the founders of the Jungle Library Project have plans to reforest areas of land within National Parks which have been logged illegally, their aim is to replant native hard woods and fruit trees that would be of economic benefit for the villagers whilst also supporting wildlife.
The Jungle Library project is a non profit educational organisation based in south Sumatra to learn more please visit www.snbcf.org
ORANGUTAN VETERINARY AID (OVAID)
Orangutan Veterinary Aid (OVAID) is a UK registered charity dedicated to providing veterinary equipment, medicines and practical veterinary presence and assistance to orangutan rescue groups and centres in Indonesia and Malaysia.
By its actions the charity works to improve resources for and the welfare of rescued orangutan.
The charity is independent and free to challenge with an ethos of: “Always best for the orangutan”
OVAID was formed by veterinary surgeon Nigel Hicks and his wife Sara and sprang from the disturbing realisation that vets in Malaysia and Indonesia working with the charismatic and critically endangered orangutan were often doing so with minimal, outdated medicines and equipment in poor conditions. Drawing on their extensive experience of working with rescue groups and in orangutan rescue centres since 2009 Nigel and Sara established Orangutan Veterinary Aid in 2014 with the specific aim of supplying medicines, equipment and practical veterinary expertise to orangutan groups urgently needing help.
For more information on the work of OVAID visit www.ovaid.org
