On Sunday the 7th of February, 2016 a promotion day was hosted by the Tanjung Puting National Park at Kumai, in the province of Kalimantan Tengah (Central Indonesian Borneo).The aim of the day was to promote the National Park as a tourist destination for local people and to highlight the Park’s unique biodiversity. Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) and other non-profit organizations working to protect forests and endangered species in the National Park were invited to set up information booths.
Outreach with local communities is an important part of OFI’s work on the ground in Indonesia. OFI’s capable,friendly Pak Ario ran a table at the event to supply local teachers and school children with information about OFI’s field programs. In addition, copies of the OFI-produced Indonesian language newsletter ‘Pesan Dari Alam’ (Message from Nature) were handed out. This educational newsletter is produced in Indonesia, and features articles about orangutans, the forest, and the work of OFI. The youth attending the event were excited to receive copies of the newsletter and had numerous questions to ask about orangutans. Outreach events are key to inspiring the next generation of conservationists and stewards of nature in Kalimantan. They need to know about what is happening in their own “backyard” of Tanjung Puting National Park.
