The centres raise visitors’ awareness for the need to protect the tropical ecosystems.
The project involved supporting the awareness-raising activities of three environmental education centres in Indonesia, managed by PanEco Foundation Switzerland and YEL Indonesia: PPLH Bohorok on the island of Sumatra, PPLH Puntondo on the island of Sulawesi, and PPLH Seloliman on the island of Java (PPLH stands for "Pusat Pendidikan Lingkungan Hidup", which means "environmental education centre" in Indonesian).
The activities of the environmental education centres are multifaceted. They include environmental education, in particular raising the awareness of national and international visitors for the need to protect the tropical ecosystems. A strong focus rests on highlighting the importance of these ecosystems for the livelihood of the local population. In addition, the centres support local communities in a variety of ways: skills development, alternative sources of income, sustainable agriculture, as well as village management and waste recycling.
The eco-lodges in each centre create local jobs in ecotourism and set examples of a more sustainable form of tourism. The protection of the environment in the area around the centres is also an important part of the work. In PanEco’s view, the combination of all these aspects is the best possible way to support the biodiversity, the environment and the people in Indonesia.
