By: Syamsidar
Pekanbaru (16/11)-As an effort to promote eco-friendly consumption as well as enhance “fair” value, WWF-Indonesia conducted numbers of Green and Fair Exhibition in many big cities in Indonesia. On 13-14 November 2010, those products from community producers around conservation area were exhibited in SKA Mall, Pekanbaru.
Besides Green and Fair products exhibition, the two-day event also presented Wonder Eyes photo exhibition talkshow about the roles of G & F Products featuring WWF-Indonesia’s Honorary Supporter Nadine Chandrawinata, and story telling.
This Green and Fair product exhibition is part of the public education campaign conducted by WWF-Indonesia from July to December 2010. Established five years ago, Green and Fair Product is a WWF’s initiative which aims at strengthening conservation efforts as well as developing the environmentally friendly business ventures for local people in conservation landscapes.
Two of eight Green and Fair products initiated by WWF-Indonesia originated from two conservation areas in Sumatra were exhibited in the event. The products were wild honey ‘Sialang”from Tesso Nilo National Park, Riau Province and Robusta coffee’Kuyung Arang” from the bufferzone of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Lampung Province.

To witness and experience the the sustainable and hygenic way of processing Tesso Nilo wild honey, the WWF’s honorary Supporter, Nadine Chandrawinata visited esso Nilo National Park on Saturday, 13 November. Arriving at Flying Squad camp, Nadine was welcomed by Nella, a Flying Squad elephant calf who bestowed a string of flower to the guest. Some short attractions were also performed by two Flying Squad’s elephant calves, Nella and Tesso such as playing harmonica and greeting.
Tesso Nilo is a remaining habitat of Sumatran elephant and tiger in Riau. To mitigate human-elephant conflict around the area, WWF working with the conservation authority operate a Flying Squad team comprising of four trained elephants and eight mahouts. Nadine also had a unique experience; bathing Rahman, the male elephant. “Bathing the elephant is really an exciting experience ever,” Nadine says.
After interacting with Flying Squad, Nadine continued her journey. She and her entourage had a boat ride along Nilo River to see the Sialang tree. Arriving on the river side, they took a short walk to get into the location of Sialang tree. Seeing a huge high Sialang tree, Nadine was astonished when she found fresh pug marks of sun bear in the stem.
“ The taste of this honey is delicious, it is different with the ones I have ever tried,” Nadine says when she joined the honey farmers to seep out honey hives. “Now I know that there is specific trick to slice the bee hives so that the honey dripping,’ Nadine added.
The honey farmers under the Asscociation of Tesso Nilo Wild Honey Farmer practice sustainable honey harvesting and hygenic process. The farmers only slice the head of the bee hives and let some parts of the bee hives left so that the bees can rebuild their hives again in near time. In order to maintain the hygiene and quality of the honey, they drip the bee hives (ithout hand squeezing).
The next day, at the talkshow, Nadine shared her experiences during her visits to Tesso Nilo NP. Escorted with a story teller, she urged public to be take part in saving the forest. One simple action that can be done is choosing the green and fair products.
“We have to more aware of what we consume. Where the products come from, how they are cultivated and process and how they impact to the environment,” she emphasized.
Being wiser in choosing the products we consume is one of our simple contribution to save nature. “Buying Green and fair Product means helping the economy of local people who live around conservation areas as well as conserving Sumatran forest, the habitat of Sumatran tiger and elephant,” she added.