T

here are so many ways to cultivate environmental awareness, especially about mangroves and especially among young people.

One way is by organizing a speech competition in English and Japanese, held by the Mangrove Information Center in Denpasar on Saturday and Sunday, where they can express their thoughts and opinions on issues related to the environment, and to mangroves.

"Ecotourism is one of the attractions Bali offers tourists and it has proved popular among visitors," Ni Putu Swasti Asparini of the Tourism Academy (STP) in Nusa Dua told the audience and judges.

She deplored the vast construction of hotels, shops and villas, which she deemed could lessen the island's beauty, while calling on all Bali residents, not only those observing Balinese Hinduism, to live in accordance with the philosophy of the Tumpek Wariga ritual.

"Don't just perform the ceremony, but take real action by planting even a single tree or seedling," she said, referring to the rite observed every six months to honor plants.

For her performance Asparini was named third in the English Intermediate category.

There were dozens of other participants in the two-day contest, held in cooperation between the Mangrove Management Center Region I and the Japan International Cooperation Agency's program on mangroves.

"The annual event has been held since 2004 and this year it takes the theme *For our environment let us speak'," Komang Tri Wijaya, one of the organizers, said.

There were four topics to choose from: my ecotourism design in Bali; nature in Bali in 10 years; the value of one mangrove tree; and environmental education for elementary or junior high school students. Tri said due to the high number of participants, the contest was divided into two days, one each for English and Japanese. Contestants were students from senior high schools and universities.

"The number of participants increases every year although the number for the Japanese competition is slightly less than for the English one," said Tri.

"And most of the participants are still from the Denpasar area."

Tri said despite the fact there were four topics on offer, most of the students chose the topic on the use of mangroves.

"Only a few picked topics on ecotourism and environmental education," he said.

Each participant was given a 5-minute slot for their speech which was then followed by a question-and-answer session with the judges.

"We need such contests," said Kartika Rachma, from state senior high school SMAN 7 in Denpasar.

"I prefer speech contests to debates because they require less energy and I don't really like to debate."

In addition to improving their language skills, participants could take lessons on the chosen topics, especially on the use of mangroves.

Participant I Gede Wirawan argued that a mangrove was not a commodity that could be sold freely, but it had the specific character of being multifunctional.

"Mangrove forest is a source of oxygen, a habitat for numerous animals, protects the coast from erosion, and even from a tsunami," he said.

"So let's preserve the ones we have and at the same time increase the number of mangrove forests for the future."

Tri said that as well as motivating environmental awareness among young people, his office was giving participants the opportunity to accompany guests visiting the Mangrove Information Center.

"We often have many guests visiting the center," he said.

"The participants are usually asked to accompany the guests touring the mangrove forests and give them explanations.

"We say they are our mangrove ambassadors."

Speech contest results
English Elementary:

First: Ni Luh Putu Diaswari Predani (SMAN I Denpasar)
Second: Vina Dewi Lestari Putra (SMAN 4 Denpasar)
Third: Kartika Rachma (SMAN 7 Denpasar)

Special performance:

Dewa Ayu Agung Anggita Ningrat (SMAN I Denpasar) and Gusti Ayu Ardita Fibrianti (SMAN 2 Tabanan)