Forestry student's brainstorm in Bogor

Theresia Sufa ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Bogor   |  Sun, 08/16/2009 12:23 PM  |  Discover

(JP/Theresia Sufa)

Forestry students from 32 countries got together in Bogor, West Java, to attend the 37th International Forestry Student Symposium (IFSS) from July 27 to Aug. 9.

The 90 students gathered at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture's (IPB) campus to discuss various forestry issues and to initiate reforestation programs.

The students came from Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan, France, Finland, Australia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden, as well as host Indonesia, among other places.

The coordinator of this year's symposium, Akhmad Viko Zakhary Santosa, a Gajah Mada University student, said that the event was jointly organized by his university and the IPB.

Viko said that the symposium was held annually to unite forestry students from the 48 member countries members of the International Forestry Students Association (IFSA). Last year's event was held in Bulgaria.

The meeting was aimed at generating ideas about how to sustain forests, mitigate the impacts of climate change and conserve the Earth's lungs.

The students also inspected a conservation project in Telaga village, which is part of the Kerawang industrial zone and visited a pulp and paper factory in Kerawang regency, Gunung Walat, IPB's education forest in Sukabumi, the Alas Purwo National Park in Yogyakarta and, finally, the Bogor Botanical Gardens.

"Through this international symposium we students want to deliver a message that the challenge and opportunity the Indonesian forests are now dealing with is part of the solution to the global forestry issues.

"The success of global environment preservation depends on forestry management in Indonesia where the government, industries and the people are involved," Viko said.

Julie Venne of Laval University, Canada, said that Indonesia has the world's most beautiful tropical forests and that it was lucky to have such vast areas of forests, but cautioned that they should be protected.

"I also admire the agro forestry in Telaga village," said Julie at the village.

Coordinator of the conservation project, IBG Permana, said the Telaga Village project is the work of 90 companies in the Kerawang International Industry City. Various trees for harvest are planted in a 3-hectare area of the industrial zone, which also features a model training facility for agro forestry, rice and fish cultivation.

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