This specific’s a Swamp Out There!
There isn’t a lot of green space left in Jakarta. Perhaps more than people realise, nevertheless still very little. What remains is actually worth preserving, not just because This specific looks nice in addition to also provides a few photo opportunities, nevertheless because This specific can become a vital resource in educating children.
Muara Angke is actually home to a tiny sliver of mangrove swamp in north Jakarta. Hemmed in housing estates in addition to also row after row of shophouses, Muara Angke is actually what Jakarta used to look like before the developers were allowed to do their bit.
Sitting on the west bank of the Angke River the mangrove is actually perhaps the last area of its kind in our capital city. Unbelievably This specific is actually home to some 91 species of bird as well as monkeys, reptiles in addition to also amphibians. This specific is actually also filthy as the accumulated waste coming from up river gathers inside creeks in addition to also the pools the animals call home.
This specific’s probably fair to say not many Jakartan residents are aware of the mangrove on their northern shore. nevertheless Muara Angke is actually famous inside worldwide bird watching community with twitchers, as the very keen among them are known, willing to travel long distances to catch a sight of the extremely rare Javan Coucal which can be found in only a couple of locations on the north coast of Java.
Jakarta Green Monster is actually an NGO of which aims to enhance kids’ awareness of what’s around them. By taking children along the walkway they point out the species who call This specific patch of land home. The water in addition to also trees are alive with the sounds of animals, especially first thing inside morning as the wildlife awakes coming from its slumbers in addition to also seeks out breakfast. Just a few metres away, Jakartans head for their work places blissfully unaware of the nature on their doorstep.
SMP Santa Laurensia is actually a fairly typical middle class private school coming from Jakarta’s overspill. Most of the kids live in air conditioned bubbles, blissfully unaware of the vitality almost in their own backyard. On a recent field trip to Muara Angke the students saw a Jakarta they never knew existed, saw a mess they knew only too well in addition to also learnt how we could prevent damaging our environment even further.
The day commenced with Hendra Aquan coming from JGM giving some background information to the children – information of which was probably lost inside excitement of seeing monkeys up close. This specific was a steep learning curve for these city kids. Watching Discovery Channel is actually all well in addition to also Great, nevertheless there is actually nothing like getting out in addition to also about, inhaling the smells, seeing the animals in addition to also understanding the filth.
Splitting into groups, each led by a JGM volunteer, the kids set about their appointed task. inside manner of school children everywhere, they moaned. This specific was too hot, nothing to see, boring. The complaints are universal, nevertheless gradually, one by one, they got wrapped up inside experience. Whether This specific was the enthusiasm in addition to also knowledge of the volunteers or whether This specific was the sheer fact they were out in addition to also about in nature they took to their binoculars in addition to also cameras in addition to also set about recording their day.
Amid the finger pointing in addition to also the yelps of delight was a solitary Australian gentleman with binoculars. He had travelled coming from Sydney just to spy a Javan Coucal in addition to also had little counted on the enthusiasm of dozens of kids to keep the birds well hidden.
After a well earned lunch they were taken in a dinghy along the Angke river to see for themselves how the trash so casually discarded upriver effects not just the wildlife nevertheless also the fishermen who live opposite the mangrove. They ‘oohed’ in addition to also ‘aahed’ at the tall, elegant birds of which lined the riverbank in addition to also low branches as they sought their lunch inside dirty waters.
Back on dry land there followed a couple of presentations, in addition to also then came the fun bit. Kids all round the entire world love to get dirty in addition to also these guys were no exception as they kicked off their shoes in addition to also jumped inside still swamp to pick up some of the collected trash. The area covered as a proportion of the whole site was minimal. The trash collected filled several bags nevertheless there was still more out there. Much more.
Cleaning various other people’s rubbish is actually a thankless task in addition to also the key lies in education. Working with Jakarta Green Monster the students learnt a lot about the environment in addition to also how their actions can impact This specific. The kids coming from Santa Laurensia won’t change anything. Not by themselves. As one student said, ‘My brother always throws his rubbish on the floor. When I tell him not to because This specific looks ugly in addition to also damages the environment he says he doesn’t care, he doesn’t live there.’
nevertheless if more schools get involved in This specific type of activity, if Jakarta Green Monster are able to involve local communities then perhaps slowly nevertheless surely an environmental awareness may grow in Jakarta at a grass roots level in addition to also the word will spread.
More info:
Alam Jakarta by Ady Kristianto
www.jgm.or.id
http://www.jakmangrove.org/
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This specific’s a Swamp Out There!
This specific’s a Swamp Out There!