The biodiversity preservation efforts should involve many parties, including children, the future pillars of conservation in Indonesia. Instilling the value of love for nature from an early age bridges the emergence of a generation that dares to say no to the destruction of nature.
Burung Indonesia has been taking a variety of ways to support conservation actions, one of them is through an educational approach by initiating the preparation of a local content curriculum on environmental conservation. The curriculum was implemented in Talaud Island Regency, West Manggarai Regency and three other regencies in Sumba Island, East Nusa Tenggara.
In the Talaud and Sangihe Islands, Burung Indonesia initiated teaching materials for learning about biodiversity conservation in 2006. This effort prompted Burung Indonesia to replicate a similar idea on Sumba Island in 2007 together with the Department of Education, Youth and Sports of West Sumba District and related agencies. For the first time, a book on competency standards, syllabus, and local content curriculum learning materials on biodiversity conservation for elementary school students was born in Tanah Humba.
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Burung Indonesia then reproduced the same local content book for elementary school students in Southwest Sumba Regency and Central Sumba Regency in 2010 to date. Students in the three districts are now able to learn about various things on the island they love: geographical conditions, socio-cultural conditions, forests and national parks, the birds, and folklore.
Similarly, the same education curriculum was adopted in West Manggarai Regency in 2015. At least five important areas of biodiversity exist in this regency, including the endangered ancient reptile, the Komodo Dragon. The Mbeliling forests is an essential habitat for endemic flora species and four endemic-endangered birds, including the Flores Hanging-parrot (Loriculus flosculus).
There are more than 264 km² of forest area in West Manggarai, most of which are vulnerable to human-made damage, including illegal logging. Therefore, efforts to preserve biodiversity must involve many parties and as early as possible.
Through local content books, students can get knowledge and learn about biodiversity, ecosystem services, and important habitats in their environment. Thus, the initiation of the preparation of this local content curriculum is a long-term strategy in terms of preserving the West Manggarai environment.
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Because previously there was no local content curriculum material that was relevant to local conditions, the release of this book became a new historical record for the world of education in West Manggarai. The full support of the West Manggarai Regency Government is also stated in the Regent's Regulation No. 13 of 2015 concerning the implementation of a local content curriculum for environmental conservation in basic education units.
Through local content curriculum books, it is hoped that student participation in nature conservation efforts can increase. On the other hand, with increasing knowledge about conservation, students are expected to be able to actively influence their parents so that they can be directly involved and care about nature conservation.
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The publication of this article is part of a series of publications celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Burung Indonesia. On every 15th of every month in 2017, we will publish various articles about the best achievements that Burung Indonesia has achieved during 15 years of working at the home for 1769 bird species: Indonesia.