Kapuas Hulu (13/09)- About 300 students from 7 schools in Batang Lupar, Kapuas Hulu District, West Kalimantan, participated in the orangutan campaign organized by WWF-Indonesia West Kalimantan Program Office. Every school sent their students to involve in the 3 day-campaign started from Thursday (10/09) to Saturday (12/09). All seven schools from elementary schools to junior high schools, stayed together to learn more about environmental issues and commemorate the 64th Independence Day of Republic of Indonesia.

The campaign aimed to build awareness of young people on the importance of forest conservation particularly orangutan conservation as an indicator of forest health. It is expected that students will grow in pride for orangutan as endemic species that can only be found in their Borneo (and neighboring island Sumatra) forests.

Campaign is conducted in educative ways that leverages students' knowledge, skill and creativity through class sessions, quizzes, film screening, writing and drawing competition, sport competition, and traditional game. For junior high school students in particular, had the opportunity to learn about photography and film documentary. While on the second evening, students were invited to show their art performance such as traditional and contemporary dance, singing and drama.

Teachers hailed the campaign activity as it will increase awareness and pride of environment and endangered species among young people. It is expected that this program will continue on regular basis. In the light of engagement with our conservation partners such as community, this campaign enabled WWF-Indonesia to build and maintain the conservation network in the areas from upperstream, middle and downstream of Labian-Leboyan River.

The orangutan conservation school campaign is the third campaign after the first one was previously organized in Ukit-ukit Village in September 2008 and in Nanga Leboyan,October 2008. Those areas are villages located along Labian-Leboyan River, a natural link between Betung Kerihun National Park and Danau Sentarum National Park, which is believed once they were connected to each other. Unfortunately several forest areas linking those two parks didn't exist anymore and therefore the orangutan habitat spots have been fragmented.

In West Kalimantan, there are at least 2000 orangutans populated in Betung Kerihun National Park and Danau Sentarum National Park, two important Heart of Borneo national parks, which are home to this Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus sub-species.

Threats to orangutan in those two areas are identified as population threat and habitat threat. Population threats are hunting and poaching, while habitat threats can be identified as logging, forest conversion and forest fire (particularly in Danau Sentarum National Park). To cope with these threats, one effective way is to conduct awareness campaign. Since the subspecies exist only in West Kalimantan (Indonesian's Borneo part and Sarawak as well), building awareness and pride toward Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus will enable the effective protection efforts for both orangutan population and its ideal habitat.

Acang, a student from SDN No. 7 Sungai Sedik, who was tasked to be the master of ceremony, read a closing line, "Friends and teachers, I am just now aware that what WWF-Indonesia is doing in environmental conservation, especially on orangutan habitat protection is very important."

It is ultimate that this campaign can relay important conservation message to children who will inherit the most treasure in the future,Earth planet. If orangutan exists in the forest, forest is in good condition. The more population, the better forest. Better forest for people, local and global.

 http://www.wwf.or.id/en/news_facts/highlights/?10400/Kampanye-Konservasi-Orangutan-di-Sungai-Sedik-Kapuas-Hulu