Hands-on knowledge: Students are encouraged to help nurture the already green environment, thus making biology classes more than textbook knowledge on plants and greeneries. JP/Wasti Atmodjo

It is a school, but with its many trees and cool environment make it seem like a park. Welcome to SMPN 4 state junior high school in Denpasar, Bali.

Since 2003, the school, led by Wayan Dhania, has proven its commitment to developing itself based on environmental conservation ideals.

There is no trace of garbage in the school yard because both teachers and students dispose of their waste, especially nonorganic waste, properly.

"Our guests often like to sit in the school yard or in the gazebo to take in the atmosphere," says Dhania, after a school excercize.

Many programs at the school, with its 1,089 students, are carried out in the yard.

The school, located on Jl. Gunung Agung, one of the more densely populated areas of Denpasar, covers 10,300 square meters, and more than 60 percent of this has been turned into open space - used for yards, parking areas and sport grounds. The remainder is taken up by classrooms, office buildings, a hall, multimedia rooms and others.

In 2007, SMPN 4 was among nine Indonesian schools nominated by the government to win the Adiwiyata award, for its strong environmental concepts.

"More than 350 schools took part in this competition, from elementary to senior high schools. We're so proud to have reached that level and to have received an award from the President," Dhania said.

SMPN officially gained Adiwiyata school status in 2008 and is currently undergoing another evaluation to determine whether it deserves the status of an independent Adiwiyata school.

However, Dhania said, the SMPN 4 was not just working hard to win awards.

"The most important thing for us is to build an identity which ensures that we stay ahead in the movement to preserve the environment. At the same time, we should never lower our determination to maintain our academic achievements."

Dhania acknowledged, however, that the awards had been useful in boosting the students' resolve to retain or even increase the school's achievements.

"The school's achievements come from the hard work we've done together... and we are all proud of having a clean environment."

But the green concept was not conceived overnight. Between 2002 and 2003, several teachers suggested the school cut down some of its trees to create space. Others had suggested filling some of its open spaces with buildings.

However, after discussions, they agreed to retain the area as it was, and even determined to plant more trees.

"However high our education level, or how rich we become, it doesn't mean a thing if our environment is damaged," Dhania said.

Now, notices reminding people of the need to take care of the environment are seen all around the school.

Trash cans were set up in classrooms and offices to encourage people to dispose of their trash properly.

Many of the trash cans separate organic and inorganic waste and are placed in front of every classroom and office. Organic waste from the school is used for compost.

"Composting duties are taken in turns by new students and seventh graders," Dhania said, adding that they use the compost to fertilize plants.

Since launching its environmental campaign in 2003, SMPN 4 has seen full support from students' parents.

"But, in developing this concept, we have rejected material contributions, including offerings from the students' parents and others," she said.

"We have undertaken this project independently, using the philosophy of swadana, meaning to develop inner strength and be self-supporting."

The school park was also developed independently and was named using characters from the Mahabrata epic. The school's front section is named Yudhistira, the main school park and parking space is called Bima, and the park in the central part is known as Arjuna.

The trees planted around the school are of various types, ranging from shady and productive trees with economic value like ketapang (a kind of almond tree with edible nuts that grows in coastal areas), mango and jackfruit, as well as casuarinas, frangipanis, orchids and other flowers.

The school also has many varities of medicinal plants such as ginger, Kaempferia galanga (aromatic ginger), galangal and others.

In designing the school's layout, Dhania did not get help from consultants but based the plans on other school designs and tourist locations.

"Now, many schools including ones outside Bali come to visit our school."

Aside from focusing on the school compound, SMPN 4 has also urged students to improve their environmental awareness, for example carrying out regreening and cleanliness programs in and outside school.

Since 2006, SMPN 4 has provided a Life Environment subject in its local curriculum, in which students are invited to discuss current green issues. For instance, after the Situ Gintung dam disaster in Jakarta, students were invited to analyze the causes of the accident. Also, when Bali hosted the climate change conference in 2007, SMPN 4 students went to the conference site to help broaden their understanding of conservation.

SMPN 4 classes are often held outside school - even on the beach or in mangrove forests.

Students are urged to be creative, for example by reusing trash for other things like decorative flowers from paper, cans and plastic bottles. Students have also created small dolls, lamp covers, fruit baskets and more. Dhania plans to improve students' skills to improve the quality of products.

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