Yogyakarta, October 3, 2023 – The Community Service Grant Team based on Education for Sustainable Development of the Faculty of Biology, UGM, led by Abdul Razaq Chasani, S.Si., M.Si., Ph.D. along with members Prof. Dr. Ratna Susandarini, M.Sc., Donan Satria Yudha, S.Si., M.Sc., and Siti Aisah, S.Si., M.Si. from the Biology Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta collaborated with the Ecology School of Kampung Satwa held a Workshop on “Improving the Ecology School of Tourism Village through Curriculum Development and Learning Modules based on Education for Sustainable Development” at Wisma MM UGM Hotel. This activity is part of the capacity-building series for the Ecology School, which was successfully initiated and built through the same grant implementation in the previous year. The Ecology School is a program established as a commitment of cooperation between the Faculty of Biology, UGM, and Kampung Satwa. This activity is also in line with the support of the Faculty of Biology for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially in enhancing inclusive education for all (SDG 4) and land environmental management through conservation and nature preservation (SDG 15), as well as collaboration with Kampung Satwa and various relevant parties in its implementation (SDG 17).
The workshop was also attended by Hanif Kurniawan, S.H., the founder of Kampung Satwa, Fery Ghozali, the Manager of the Yogyakarta Nature School, Muhari and Junaidi Suharsa from the Tourism Office of Sleman Regency, and Dian Banjar Agung, S.Hut., M.Sc., the Head of Conservation Section Region I, Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Yogyakarta.
The Tourism Office of Sleman Regency shows support for the implementation of the Ecology School and hopes to assist conservation programs in approximately 80 tourist villages in Sleman. The Ecology School is also expected to provide training or certification for tourist village managers to support eco-tourism-based village management while preserving the environment. Dian Banjar Agung, S.Hut., M.Sc. from BKSA Yogyakarta stated its related program in preparing conservation-aware future leaders through delivering materials to high schools, especially conservation education for specific national park management. The Ecology School is expected to support broader competencies, especially targeting tourist villages to enhance the tourism value offered, along with economic aspects. Fery Ghozali, as the Manager of the Yogyakarta Nature School, then explained the curriculum and implementation of nature schools in Yogyakarta. In addition to supporting student education through environment-related curriculum, nature schools also encourage parental involvement in child education.
The discussion continued regarding the management of nature schools, including the development of curriculum and modules as program outputs. The results of the discussion are expected to serve as a reference for the implementation of the ecology school program and to be carried out in accordance with the target achievements of the community service activities.