By Anastasia Joanita

"We are One for a Sustainable Earth". This sentence is a slogan that is often spoken with enthusiasm by students of SDN Habaring Hurung, Palangka Raya, when they actively participate in camp activities Saturday and Sunday (15/6). The camp was held in commemoration of the World Environment Day 2014 with the theme "Raise Your Voice for Global Community" organized by WWF Indonesia, Sebangau National Park Center, and Earth Hour Palangka Raya Community. The active response and enthusiasm of the students were evident in the various activities they did including learning in class, observing the surrounding environment, discussing, cleaning the school, planting trees in the school and village roads, making and painting trash cans. "Loving the environment and fostering interest in protecting the forest, we try to transmit to children in this activity," said Nina Nuraisyiah, Communication Coordinator at WWF Indonesia Central Kalimantan Program.

Elementary school students in Habaring Hurung Village became participants in the commemoration of World Environment Day not without reason. Habaring Hurung is a village that borders the Sebangau National Park area in Palangka Raya. Since 2004, many efforts have been made to save and protect forest areas in this region. Then in 2008, WWF Indonesia started the newtrees program, which is a tree planting program in order to reforest the Sebangau National Park area whose land conditions are critical or damaged.

Realizing the importance of this area as part of the Heart of Borneo, it is necessary to involve many parties to play an active role in the Sebangau NP conservation campaign, including the students of SDN Habaring Hurung. "We hope this activity will have an impact on children's knowledge about the importance of protecting forests in Sebangau National Park," Nina explained on the sidelines of the tree planting activity on the main road of the village.

Fina Fransisca, who is the facilitator of the camp activities, admitted that she did not find it difficult to provide material or guide students of SDN Habaring Hurung to understand the importance of loving the environment and having the motivation to love the environment and have the motivation to protect and maintain the forest. "Every material that has been delivered, we evaluate by giving statements or opening opportunities for children to ask questions to the facilitator," said Fina. Although initially the children looked shy, the stiffness and hesitation soon disappeared because the discussion and question and answer process was directed to a relaxed and light atmosphere as possible for them to be able to follow and enjoy the activity. Fina further revealed "Some children always want to answer, others still need to be provoked to answer."

Teaching children at elementary school age to respect the environment and protect the forest area adjacent to where they live, does not always have to be delivered in a formal way. The method of learning from the point of view of children their age can be an option. Playing while learning something can always be an option. "In introducing the environment to children, we choose media such as animated films to explain about animals that should not be hunted or kept, as well as inviting children to make and paint garbage cans that are useful for them to start getting used to disposing of garbage in its place," Nina explained.