Lestari  Forever:  A  unique  relationship  between  a  small  school  and  the  

Borneo  Orangutan  Survival  Foundation  By  Brent  Fullerton  

 “May  we  hold  the  baby  sun  bear,  Mr.   Fullerton?   Please,   pretty  pleeeease!”   pleaded   the   Grade  5/6  students  in  unison.  

 During   a   recent   overnight   field  trip   to   volunteer   at   the   Borneo  Orangutan   Survival   (BOS)  Foundation’s   orangutan   and   sun  bear  sanctuary-­‐-­‐Samboja  Lestari,   I  realized   how   fortunate   I   was   to  

now   be   part   of   this   unique   relationship   between   Pasir   Ridge  International  School   (a  small  school  with  about  70  students)  and  the   BOS   Foundation.   It   is   a   compelling   story   that   has   spanned  nearly   two   decades   of   students   and   teachers   who’ve   been  affiliated  with  Pasir  Ridge  International  School.    The   orangutans’   natural   habitat   is   the  tropical   rainforests   found   only   on   the  islands   of   Sumatra   and   Kalimantan  (Borneo),   Indonesia.   Thousands   of  acres   of   rainforests   are   being   stripped  each   year;   this   has   a   detrimental  impact  on  the  endangered  orangutans’  future.   Samboja   Lestari   (lestari   means  “to   grow”   in   Bahasa   Indonesia)   is  located  on  the  eastern  coast  of  Borneo,  about   44   km   north   of   Balikpapan.     The   BOS   Foundation,   an  Indonesian   non-­‐profit   environmental   organization,   is   now   the  world’s   largest   and   most   successful   organization   dedicated   to  protecting  the  orangutan  and  regenerating  the  rainforest.    

 In   1991,  Willy   Smits   first   established   the   BOS   Foundation.   Back  then   it  was  known  as   the  Balikpapan  Orangutan  Society.  For   the  first   three   years,   the   society  was   financed  by   the  pocket  money  and  fund  raising  efforts  of  students  and  dedicated  teachers  at  the  Pasir   Ridge   International   School.   The   school   campus   became   a  

Planting  indigenous  tree  saplings.  

Hiking  in  the  new  rainforest  

rehabilitative   center   of   sorts,   housing  many   native   wild   animals  such  as  orangutan,  gibbons,  hornbills  and  toucans.  Students  were  naturally   immersed  in  an  effort  to  protect  these  animals  and  the  rainforest.   Can   you   imagine,   teaching   students   with   a   gibbon’s  cacophonous   call   bellowing   outside   your   classroom?   Eventually,  the   BOS  was   able   to   purchase   enough   land   in   Samboja,   a   small  district   with   a   population   of   approximately   10,000   inhabitants.  The   goal   to   rehabilitate   the   orangutan   and   “create   a   rainforest”  was  becoming  a  reality,  however,  there  was  a  price  to  pay.  

 For   those   involved   these  efforts   did   not   come  without   serious   risks.  After   the   introduction   of  mechanical   logging,   and  many   years   of   illegal  logging,   the   land   around  Samboja   had   become   a  patchwork  of  barren  fields  and   grasslands   that   did  

not  yield  any  crops,  and  was  overgrown  with  weeds   that   caught  fire  nearly  every  year.  In  the  beginning  as  Willy  Smits  and  the  BOS  started   making   headway   against   some   corrupt   and   influential  people,   he   received   numerous   death   threats,   his   house   was  burned   down   (twice),   his   dogs   killed,   and   his   car   sabotaged,   all  while  trying  to  protect  the  rainforest  from  illegal  loggers.      For  the  past  ten  years,  with  the  assistance  of  the  local  community,  the  BOS  has  now  rehabilitated  the  area  of  Samboja  to   its  former  state   as   a   rainforest;   1850   hectares   now   provide   protection   to  wildlife  and  the  native  plant  and  tree  species  of  Kalimantan.  Just  as  important,  this  land  is  also  a  source  of  increased  empowerment  as   it   provides   sustainable   jobs   to   the   local   community   living   in  Samboja.  The  same   local  people  are  now  protecting  and  policing  their  forest  from  any  human  encroachment.  

 Samboja  Lestari   is  now  the  center  for  many  wildlife  conservation  programs  working  with   the   Indonesian   authorities:   The   Samboja  Lestari   Forest   Rehabilitation   Program,   The   Orangutan  Reintroduction   Project  Wanariset   in   East   Kalimantan,   The  Nyaru  Menteng  Orangutan  Reintroduction   Project,   The  Mawas  Wildlife  Reserve  in  Central  Kalimantan,  and  The  SarVision  Satellite  Natural  Resources  Monitoring   Center   in   East   Kalimantan.   There’s   also   a  wonderful   volunteer   program   offered   at   the   BOS   EcoLodge   in  

Mother  and  baby  orangutan  at  Samboja.  

Samboja  that  attracts  people  from  all  over  the  world  to  volunteer  their   time   and   energy   for   this   great   cause.   Now   there   are   BOS  offices  based  in  over  ten  different  countries.  

 And   so   the   tradition  continues  at  our  little  school   seventeen  years   later.   During  the  recent  trip  Grade  5/6   students   planted  indigenous   sapling  trees,   fed   the  

orangutan   and   sun  bears’   natural   food,  and   completed   activities   to   better   gain   knowledge   and  understanding  of   the  overall  program.  Once  back  at  school,   they  diligently   began   preparing   a   campaign   of   activities   to   raise  awareness   and   financial   support  within   our   local   community   for  “Orangutan  and  Sun  Bear  Week.”  All   students   in  grades  PreK3-­‐6  participated   in   activities   dedicated   to   learning   more   about  orangutan  and  the  rainforest,  and  also  welcomed  guest  speaker,  Dr.   Erik   Meijaard,   a   Forest   Ecologist   representing   the   Nature  Conservancy  Council,  who  taught  us  more  about  the  orangutans’  characteristics.    

 One   of   the   highlights   for   the   Grade   5/6   students   was   the  interview  with   the   founders   of   BOS   Foundation,   Dr.  Willy   Smits  and  former  Pasir  Ridge  teacher,  Peter  Karsono.  It  was  captivating  listening  to  these  inspirational  men  share  stories  of  what  life  was  like  back   in  Balikpapan  20   years   ago:  wooden  paneled   cars  with  hand-­‐held   crank   levers   to   start   the   engine;   the   tall   thick   forests  that   once   stretched   from   Balikpapan   to   Samarinda;   and   the  money  trail  of  the  illegal  orangutan  pet  trade.  Finally,  at  the  Friday  assembly   a   resounding   cheer   was   heard   from   everyone   as   our  student   council   president   handed   Dr.   Willy   Smits   and   the   BOS  Foundation   a   donation   of   over   $1800.00   that   students   raised  during  the  week!  

 This  is  an  important  story  to  be  told.  A  story  of  how  a  small  group  of   students,   some   dedicated   teachers,   and   a   supportive  community  made   a   difference-­‐-­‐they   decided   to   grow   (lestari)   in  this  world,  and   that  decision  planted  a   seed-­‐-­‐one   that   continues  to   blossom   today.     They   made   our   world   a   better   place.   Now  

Grade  5/6  making  orangutan  faces  with  Dr.  Willy  Smits  and  former  PRIS  teacher,  Peter  Karsono.  

today   we   must   decide:   lestari   or   extinction?   We   are   the  gatekeepers   and   the   gardeners   of   our   planet.   Which   will   you  choose?    

 An   acrostic   poem  written  by  our   student   council   president   after  our  overnight  field  trip:  Samboja  A  place  where  Miracles  can  happen  But  without  our  support  the  sun  bears  and    Orangutans  will  Just  slip  into  extinction    And  never  come  back    [Note:  The  Pasir  Ridge  International  School  faculty   is  currently  working  on   a   historical   project   archiving   the   past   33   years   beginning   with   its  conception   in   1975.   If   you   have   worked   at   the   school,   or   know   of  anyone   who   has,   we   would   greatly   appreciate   any   interesting   story,  anecdote   and/or   pictures   sent   to   this   email   address   archives@pris-­‐school.com]