NATURE LOVER STUDENTS OF PEKANBARU STATED THEIR PETITION IN COMMEMORATION OF ENVIRONMENT DAY 2008
Traditional musical performance. © WWF-Indonesia/DANI, 2008
In collaboration with WWF, nature lover students comprising of nine nature lover organizations from five universities in Pekanbaru revealed their petition in an event conducted on June 8, 2008 to commemorate Environment Day. In their petition, the nature lover students showed their deepest concern to the condition of environment in Riau especially the condition of its forest. Therefore, the students under one flag called Nature Lover of Pekanbaru red their petition before the audience appealing related authority to take serious action to crack illegal logging, encroachment, wildlife trade and poaching, and protect Riau the remaining forest.
Theatrical performance regarding condition of Riau forest. © WWF-Indonesia/DANI, 2008
The event with theme saving natural forest and protected wildlife in Riau was commenced with songs related to nature by a local group band. Then before hundreds of audiences from high school and university students, an interactive dialog was presented. This dialog presented resource persons from Environment Division of Riau Police Department, Conservation Authority of Riau, Academician, and local NGO. Resource person from local NGO expressed his concern on the condition of forest degradation in Riau that has triggered human-wildlife conflict. Meanwhile staff from Riau Police Department, Maitertika said that it needs awareness from all walks of life to play their roles in conservation efforts as an implementation of law related to conservation of natural resources. This dialog lasted about one hour which also involve interaction with audiences.
After the dialog on session one, a local group music entertained audiences with unplug type of music. Their songs cherish environment and nature theme.
Interactive dialog to commemorate environment day 2008. © WWF-Indonesia/DANI, 2008
Dialog session two presented resource persons from Forestry Service of Riau, Tesso Nilo Community Forum, Tesso Nilo National Park Office, Tesso Nilo National Park Foundation and WWF-Indonesia. This session focused more on condition of Tesso Nilo forest block where Tesso Nilo National Park expansion process is being intensified in order to provide viable space for wildlife. Representing 22 villages around Tesso Nilo forest, the Head of Tesso Nilo Community Forum, Radaimon stated that illegal logging practices is not the only threat in Tesso Nilo forest. The main threat is land occupation by encroachers. Nukman from Tesso Nilo National Park Office shared problems they face at field such as problems on overlapping license inside the park. Head of Forest Protection from Forestry Service of Riau, Muchtar Amin invited community to monitor violation of forestry law especially illegal logging and forest encroachment.
Distributing seeds of forest and fruit plant to public. © WWF-Indonesia/DANI, 2008
To widely spread the information, the two sessions of the dialog were broadcasted lively thorough the Radio of Republic Indonesia-regional Riau. After the dialog, the head of the committee on behalf of nature lovers of Pekanbaru red out their petition before the audiences and resource persons.
Theatrical performances which taunted contribution of conglomerates on destruction of forest then came up to entertain audiences. The theater which is filled with comedy presented by students of Malay Art Academy of Riau fascinated the audience. Sagu band, one of famous local group music which had been waited by the audience then came to stage presenting some of their popular songs which are also related to environment.
The nature lover students then continued their event to out door activity where they distributed seed of plants to passer by. About 500 seeds of forest and fruit plant completed with message to plant trees to avoid nature disaster due to forest destruction were distributed. This action is the peak activity of the event to commemorate Environment Day 2008.