The Faculty of Forestry Universitas, Gadjah Mada (UGM), and Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), Germany, have agreed to establish cooperation in education and research for the conservation of wildlife in Bukit Tiga Puluh, Jambi Province.
The Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, Dr. Budiadi, S.Hut., M.Agr.Sc., said this cooperation was a form of support from academics to the conservation of biodiversity in Indonesia, particularly in the area of Bukit Tiga Puluh, Jambi. He hoped the cooperation would drive other strategic cooperation for natural conservation, especially wildlife.
“Hopefully, with this cooperation UGM can make real contributions to conserving biodiversities in Bukit Tiga Puluh, Jambi,” he said after signing the agreement on Friday at the Faculty of Forestry.
Apart from biodiversity research, this cooperation means that experts will be invited from Germany to give public lectures; there will also be data and sample exchanges on biodiversity in Jambi.
A representative from FZS, Alexander Markus Mossbrucker, said FZS is an international conservation agency based in Germany that focuses on sustaining biodiversities and wildlife conservation. Up to now, FZS has dealt with dozens of projects around the world, including Indonesia. In Bukit Tiga Puluh, the project is to conserve orang utans, elephants, tigers and other animals.
“With this cooperation that involves UGM academics, hopefully the conservation projects will run well as they are supported by scientific studies and data,” he said.
Alex added that the agency would give opportunities for apprenticeships to fresh graduates from the Faculty of Forestry.
“We are opening apprenticeships for freshly graduated students of UGM and they will have the chance to join the FZS as researchers and staff,” he said.