Layton Thompson
Thanks to their education and outreach work, local communities now have a deeper understanding of the plight of orangutans and the vital ecological services that rainforests provide – helping to prevent future conservation challenges.
Sekolah Alam Leuser, or Leuser Nature School, has been built at Bukit Mas with the aim of incentivising local farmers to become guardians of the forest by providing free education for their children in exchange for their active involvement in forest restoration and protection efforts. Read more about the school and find out how you can help keep it running here.
They run a scholarship programme for Indonesian university students to support study into orangutan ecology and forest conservation. To date, scholarships have been awarded to 23 students. Recipients have become key members of the conservation movement, going on to work in biodiversity and habitat protection across Indonesia.
They also offer a unique opportunity for students to embark on apprenticeships, preparing and inspiring the next generation of Indonesian conservationists to work towards a more sustainable future for their forests.
Layton Thompson
Our partners work with farmers and plantation workers, providing specialist training in how to prevent and resolve human-orangutan conflict so that they can protect their crops without resorting to harming wildlife. Over 400 farmers have been trained in best-practice techniques to discourage orangutans from crop raiding, including making and using bamboo noise cannons.
OIC have produced numerous resources to support this outreach work, including ‘Islamic Verses for Conservation’, a book which draws on references in the Koran regarding environmental protection, to make conservation directly relevant to the many Muslim communities with whom they work.
We are shining a spotlight on Sumatra, building a global movement to support the protection of the island’s amazing biodiversity. Through public events, campaigns, and reports, we are raising awareness of the causes and consequences of the orangutan crisis, and the tireless work of the teams on the frontline.
We have also created a Schools Pack, with lesson plans and resources to support teaching about rainforests, orangutans and conservation for classes from age 5 – 11.
Zac Mills
