UGM Faculty of Forestry held Introduction Practices to Forestry 2012 (PPK 2012) for the class of 2011 students. The event was held on 25 to 28 January 2012 and attended by 283 students with 28 field supervisor (DPL). Conveyed by Dr. Priyono Suryanto as PPK 2012 Committee Chairman, this activity is carried out in the Wanagama I Education Forest Gunungkidul, as well as the operational forest units under BKSDH and Office for Forest and Plantation (Dishutbun) Yogyakarta. In addition, it is also held at community forest developed around Wanagama and mangrove forests in Opak and Oya river estuaries, Baros sub-village, Bantul.
Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, represented by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and Quality Assurance, Dr. Eny Faridah, in her speech at the release of PPK 2012 said the PPK activity is a field practice first performed academically for the student class of 2011. Furthermore, it is conveyed that the Forestry Introduction Practices (KTU 1102) is compulsory course for students of forestry. This practice provides general knowledge of forest types according to function and management, covering aspects of forest management, silviculture, forest technology, and conservation of forest resources. After attending the PPK, the students are expected to have a general knowledge about forests and forestry as well as gaining experience related to aspects of discipline, independence, and managerial ability in addition to an initial basic to hone their analytical acumen to the problems in forestry development.
Furthermore, Dr. Priyono Suryanto conveys in order to develop forester corps, PPK 2012 also provided material about the UGM’s and Forester’s values. Other activities carried out are superior teak planting in the community forest as the introduction of communication with communities around the forest. In addition, superior teak planting was also carried out on 14th plots of Wanagama I as class of 2011 plant monument.
The activity ended with the planting at mangrove forest near the estuaries of the Oya-Opak River, Baros sub-village, Bantul. The mangrove forest planting is conducted in collaboration with the Baros Youth Family (KP2B). Dwi, one of the KP2B board, expressed his appreciation for the visit and planting activity in hopes that this could be a sustainable cooperation for the preservation of natural resources.
Odang, one of the PPK 2012 participants also conveys that he is impressed upon the practice that is able to provide enrichment on forestry in Indonesia. It is very important for new students and forester corps. Dr. Priyono Suryanto said in the closing ceremony of the PPK 2012 that this planting activity is devotion as an UGM Forestry student for the preservation of natural resources.