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The Mamas, Guardians of Mbeliling Forest

Since the work of R.A. Kartini who fought for equality for women in the 19th century, the celebration of the equal role of Indonesian women is always held in many ways. Kartini's example manifests in the role of women in many fields, including the environment. There are many stories about the struggles of women in saving the environment’s damage, facing challenges after challenges, one of which is climate change.

This story from Mbeliling, a district on West Manggarai Regency of Flores Island can be an example of how the efforts to deal with climate change were carried out by a group of women in between their duties as housewives. The Mamas, that's how mothers in Mbeliling are called, were members of Kembang Mekar Group which routinely carried out Natural Service Monitoring in village forests. They were in a race against time to combat climate change whose impact is increasingly detrimental to life.

It all started when Burung Indonesia initiated a program on Mbeliling Landscape, which was an important area for biodiversity. The Kembang Mekar Group was assigned to oversee the forests, including monitoring unsustainable practices such as illegal logging, animal hunting and other illegal activities. They routinely record and document the condition of the forest including its biodiversity and water sources.

Birdwatching was one of the activities carried out to monitor the presence of birds in the forest. Apart from being a habitat for a number of Flores endemic birds, this landscape also has an ecological function as a provider of water resources needed by the community for household needs and agriculture.

Hutan juga memiliki peran utama dalam mengatasi perubahan iklim dengan menyerap CO2 sehingga tidak terlepas ke atmosfer bumi. Sebagaimana diketahui konsentrasi tinggi CO2 di atmosfer dapat memicu fenomena efek rumah kaca yang berakibat pada kenaikan suhu bumi. Kenaikan temperature bumi berdampak serius terhadap bencana hidometeorologis dan kerusakan alam lainnya.

Forests also have a major role in overcoming climate change by absorbing CO2 so that it is not released into the earth's atmosphere. As is known, high concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere can trigger the phenomenon of the greenhouse effect which results in an increase in the earth's temperature, which further contributes to serious impact on hydrometeorological disasters and other natural damage.

Even though it's far from gleaming celebrations, these Mbeliling Mamas have their own way of celebrating the role of women. If Kartini strives for equal education, these mothers seek forest sustainability, which also means fighting climate change. How about you? What efforts have you done in tackling climate change?

 

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