There are not a lot of green space left in Jakarta. Perhaps more than people realize, but very little. What remains is worth preserving, not only because it is nice and offers some photo opportunities, but because it can be a vital resource in the education of children.
Muara Angke is home to a tiny mangrove belt in northern Jakarta. Hemmed subdivisions and row after row of shophouses, Muara Angke Jakarta that is used to look like before developers were allowed to do their part.
Sitting on the west bank of the River Angke mangrove is perhaps the last area of its kind in our capital. Incredibly, it is home to some 91 species of birds and monkeys, reptiles and amphibians. It is as dirty as waste accumulated from up the river brings in the creeks and pools animals call home.
It is probably fair to say not many Jakartan residents are aware of the mangroves on their north shore. Muara Angke but is famous in the community of bird watching around the world with twitchers, as lively among them are known, willing to travel long distances to catch a sight of rare Javan Coucal which can be found in only a few places on the north coast of Java.
Jakarta Green Monster is an NGO that aims to increase awareness of children of what is around them. Taking children along the bridge, they emphasize the species that call this piece of land home. The water and trees are alive with the sounds of animals, especially first thing in the morning as the wildlife awakens from his sleep and seeks breakfast. Just a few meters, Jakartans head to their places blissfully unaware of the nature of their work door.
SMP Santa Laurensia is a private school of the middle class fairly typical crosstalk Jakarta. Most children live in bubbles of air conditioning, blissfully unaware of the vitality almost in their own backyard. On a recent field trip to Muara Angke students saw a Jakarta they were unaware, saw a mess they knew only too well and have learned how we can prevent damage to our environment more far.
The day began with Hendra Aquan of JGM give some basic information on children - information that was likely lost in the excitement of seeing monkeys close. It was a steep learning curve for these children of the city. Watch Discovery Channel is fine, but there is nothing like going out and about, inhaling the smells, see the animals and understanding of dirt.
Splitting into groups, each led by a volunteer JGM, the children put on their appointed task. In the manner of school children everywhere, they groaned. It was too hot, nothing to do, boring. Complaints are universal, but gradually, one by one, they wrapped themselves in the experience. Whether the enthusiasm and knowledge of the voluntary or whether it was simply because they were out and about in nature, they took their binoculars and cameras and began recording their day.
Amidst the finger pointing and yelps of joy was a lonely Australian gentleman with binoculars. He had traveled from Sydney just to spy a little Javan Coucal and had relied on the enthusiasm of dozens of children to keep them well hidden birds.
After a well deserved lunch, they were caught in a canoe along the Angke River to see for themselves how the trash so casually thrown upstream of not only wildlife effects, but also fishermen who live opposite the mangrove. They 'oohed' and 'aahed' the, elegant large birds that lined the river and the lower branches as they sought their lunch in the dirty water.
Back on land, he took a couple of presentations, then came the little fun. Children around the world love to get dirty and these guys were no exception as they launched their shoes and jumped into the swamp yet to pick up some garbage collected. The area covered in proportion to the whole site was minimal. The trash collected filled several bags, but there was more there. Much more.
Cleaning other people waste is a thankless task and the key lies in education. Working with Jakarta Green Monster students learned a lot about the environment and how their actions can impact it. Children Santa Laurensia not change anything. Not by themselves. As one student said, "My brother always throw waste on the ground. When I told him not to because it looks ugly and bad for the environment, he says he does not care, he does not live there. "
But if more schools get involved in this type of activity, whether Jakarta Green Monster are able to involve local communities so maybe slowly but surely an environmental awareness can develop in Jakarta at the base and the word will spread
More information :.
Alam Jakarta by Ady Kristianto
www.jgm.or.id
http://www.jakmangrove.org/
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