YPLHC

FINAL PROJECT STATUS BRIEF 2001

Establishing an environmentally sound education system in Papua

Yayasan Pendidikan Lingkungan Hidup Cyclops (YPLHC)
Jl Taruna Bakti No.3,
Waena, Jayapura 99352, Papua
P: (62) (0967) 92 066
E-mail: yplhc@jayapura.wasantara.net.id

Geographical focus

Districts of Jayapura, Papua

Tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests

Commencing March 1999

Yayasan Pendidikan Lingkungan Hidup Cyclops (YPLHC) was set up in late 1996 by various individuals and adat representatives who are concerned about the environmental problems currently confronting Papua, as a result of unprecedented industrialization. A workshop was held by YPLHC in February 1997 to invite all interested parties including government, NGOs, local adat organizations and donors to provide suggestions for its vision, priority issues and activities for the first three years. YPLHC received strong encouragement from the national and local governments to pursue an approach similar to the Environmental Education Centers in Java. Since setting up a center requires infrastructure investments that are difficult to acquire in initial years of operation, YPLHC decided to prioritize conservation awareness activities that do not require a physical center.

YPLHC's goal is the development of an environmentally sound education system that will increase the awareness of the wider community to the environment, foster sustainable natural resources management, and support and respect adat values.

YPLHC will work towards this goal by focussing on the following strategic objectives:

developing and disseminating information that supports environmentally sound and culturally appropriate education in Irian Jaya; and
encouraging government to recognize and adopt an environmentally sound and culturally appropriate education system in Irian Jaya.

To implement these objectives, YPLHC aims to:

Organize a joint workshop between YPLHC and other BSP Kemala partners to develop a communication and information strategy.
Develop and disseminate information about environment and adat values (indigenous knowledge and practices) related to community-based natural resources management, and about impacts of economic development on the environment and adat systems through the "Dian Alam" newsletter, field guides, workshops, leaflets, brochures, study tours and library.
Organize needs assessments and strategic options for environmentally sound and culturally appropriate education workshop involving key persons from adat communities, local NGOs, education practitioners, environmentalists, anthropologists, and government officials. It is anticipated that these people will be actively involved in ongoing dialogue and actions to achieve an environmentally sound and culturally appropriate education system.
Establish a field site where adat values related to community-based natural resources management and sound environmental management can be demonstrated. The site will be established with adat institutions from Dafonsaro Utara (Jayapura), with the assistance from Lembaga Pengkajian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Adat (LPPMA).

YPLHC, together with other KEMALA partners in Papua (WWF-Sahul, LPPMA, YBAW, LMAA and Konpenma) are committed to exchange resources and expertise in order to achieve greater impacts in promoting adat communities' rights in natural resource management. They have developed a joint communication, information and education strategy, which YPLHC has adopted as their main work program up to March 2001.

YPLHC has negotiated with the local radio for a regular talk show on community based natural resources management. YPLHC also continues the production and dissemination of "Dian Alam" newsletter. They distribute the newsletter to over 200 teachers, NGOs, government officials and key individuals. YPLHC has also developed two brochures: a profile of their organization; and a description of the Cyclops Nature Reserve's education program. They are currently working on a nature trail guide and other materials for the Cyclops reserve. For World Environment Day, YPLHC organized a story writing/telling contest for Jayapura secondary school students. The topic was stories about local community's cultural values and customs that conserve natural resources. This contest proved to be an effective and creative first step in reaching out to and influencing key stakeholders - in moving them towards implementing educational reform.

YPLHC, along with WWF Sahul and government officials organized a new strategic group of key stakeholders in education to identify and implement educational reforms in the province. This "think tank" will try to transform education in Papua so that it can incorporate the importance and significance of adat values and biodiversity into the local education system. They plan to produce a position paper regarding the proposed education transformation.

In collaboration with WWF Sahul and LPPMA, YPLHC conducted a series of small workshops to identify Papua's adat values related to environment and natural resource management. The workshops took place in Wamena and Sorong. YPLHC will consolidate the acquired information into a database for further use. A joint workshop on communications strategies was conducted among KEMALA partners in January 2000. YPLHC maintains a database of community based conservation initiatives, largely about distribution of adat communities and institutions. Now they are discussing with the network Konpenma to include their data as well.

YPLHC solicited experiences of other local NGOs working in Deponsero Utara, in order to produce a tourism education model in collaboration with the Adat Communities Council of Deponsero Utara. The Adat Communities Council has set a plan for developing eco-tourism sites within the area, in villages Tablan-usu and Tabla-supa with funding support from KEHATI. Thus, the conceptual model prepared by YPLHC will become strategic input for the council to develop this eco-tourism program. YPLHC also assisted YBAW to develop a communications strategy for promoting the recognition of adat management. Preliminary discussions between YBAW and YPLHC took place in mid-September and also involved LPPMA, Konpenma and Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Baliem. Objective of the campaign is to convince the Jayawijaya district legislative members and other strategic stakeholders that adat territorial management is a sustainable way for managing natural resources.

[ Bantaya ] - [ ELSAM ] - [ FPK ] - [ Hualopu ] - [ JKPP ] - [ Jaring Pela ] - [ KalBar SHK ]

[ Kemala ] - [ KonPenMA ] - [ KPA ] - [ KPSHK ] - [ LATIN ] - [ LMAA ] - [ LPPMA ]

[ Pancurkasih ] - [ PLASMA ] - [ Pro Plasma ] - [ PUTER ] - [ RMI ] - [ Telapak ] - [ WWF Sahul ]

[ YBAW ] - [ YLBHI ] - [ YPLHC ] - [ YTM ]



	FINAL PROJECT STATUS BRIEF 2001

Project	Establishing an environmentally sound education system in Papua
Partner	Yayasan Pendidikan Lingkungan Hidup Cyclops (YPLHC) Jl Taruna Bakti No.3, Waena, Jayapura 99352, Papua P: (62) (0967) 92 066 E-mail: yplhc@jayapura.wasantara.net.id
Geographical focus	Districts of Jayapura, Papua
Biome	Tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests
Timing	Commencing March 1999
Description	Yayasan Pendidikan Lingkungan Hidup Cyclops (YPLHC) was set up in late 1996 by various individuals and adat representatives who are concerned about the environmental problems currently confronting Papua, as a result of unprecedented industrialization. A workshop was held by YPLHC in February 1997 to invite all interested parties including government, NGOs, local adat organizations and donors to provide suggestions for its vision, priority issues and activities for the first three years. YPLHC received strong encouragement from the national and local governments to pursue an approach similar to the Environmental Education Centers in Java. Since setting up a center requires infrastructure investments that are difficult to acquire in initial years of operation, YPLHC decided to prioritize conservation awareness activities that do not require a physical center. YPLHC's goal is the development of an environmentally sound education system that will increase the awareness of the wider community to the environment, foster sustainable natural resources management, and support and respect adat values. YPLHC will work towards this goal by focussing on the following strategic objectives: developing and disseminating information that supports environmentally sound and culturally appropriate education in Irian Jaya; and encouraging government to recognize and adopt an environmentally sound and culturally appropriate education system in Irian Jaya. To implement these objectives, YPLHC aims to: Organize a joint workshop between YPLHC and other BSP Kemala partners to develop a communication and information strategy. Develop and disseminate information about environment and adat values (indigenous knowledge and practices) related to community-based natural resources management, and about impacts of economic development on the environment and adat systems through the "Dian Alam" newsletter, field guides, workshops, leaflets, brochures, study tours and library. Organize needs assessments and strategic options for environmentally sound and culturally appropriate education workshop involving key persons from adat communities, local NGOs, education practitioners, environmentalists, anthropologists, and government officials. It is anticipated that these people will be actively involved in ongoing dialogue and actions to achieve an environmentally sound and culturally appropriate education system. Establish a field site where adat values related to community-based natural resources management and sound environmental management can be demonstrated. The site will be established with adat institutions from Dafonsaro Utara (Jayapura), with the assistance from Lembaga Pengkajian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Adat (LPPMA).
Results	YPLHC, together with other KEMALA partners in Papua (WWF-Sahul, LPPMA, YBAW, LMAA and Konpenma) are committed to exchange resources and expertise in order to achieve greater impacts in promoting adat communities' rights in natural resource management. They have developed a joint communication, information and education strategy, which YPLHC has adopted as their main work program up to March 2001. YPLHC has negotiated with the local radio for a regular talk show on community based natural resources management. YPLHC also continues the production and dissemination of "Dian Alam" newsletter. They distribute the newsletter to over 200 teachers, NGOs, government officials and key individuals. YPLHC has also developed two brochures: a profile of their organization; and a description of the Cyclops Nature Reserve's education program. They are currently working on a nature trail guide and other materials for the Cyclops reserve. For World Environment Day, YPLHC organized a story writing/telling contest for Jayapura secondary school students. The topic was stories about local community's cultural values and customs that conserve natural resources. This contest proved to be an effective and creative first step in reaching out to and influencing key stakeholders - in moving them towards implementing educational reform. YPLHC, along with WWF Sahul and government officials organized a new strategic group of key stakeholders in education to identify and implement educational reforms in the province. This "think tank" will try to transform education in Papua so that it can incorporate the importance and significance of adat values and biodiversity into the local education system. They plan to produce a position paper regarding the proposed education transformation. In collaboration with WWF Sahul and LPPMA, YPLHC conducted a series of small workshops to identify Papua's adat values related to environment and natural resource management. The workshops took place in Wamena and Sorong. YPLHC will consolidate the acquired information into a database for further use. A joint workshop on communications strategies was conducted among KEMALA partners in January 2000. YPLHC maintains a database of community based conservation initiatives, largely about distribution of adat communities and institutions. Now they are discussing with the network Konpenma to include their data as well. YPLHC solicited experiences of other local NGOs working in Deponsero Utara, in order to produce a tourism education model in collaboration with the Adat Communities Council of Deponsero Utara. The Adat Communities Council has set a plan for developing eco-tourism sites within the area, in villages Tablan-usu and Tabla-supa with funding support from KEHATI. Thus, the conceptual model prepared by YPLHC will become strategic input for the council to develop this eco-tourism program. YPLHC also assisted YBAW to develop a communications strategy for promoting the recognition of adat management. Preliminary discussions between YBAW and YPLHC took place in mid-September and also involved LPPMA, Konpenma and Aliansi Masyarakat Adat Baliem. Objective of the campaign is to convince the Jayawijaya district legislative members and other strategic stakeholders that adat territorial management is a sustainable way for managing natural resources.