Holds Webinar, UKF IPB University Outlines Biodiversity Management Strategies and Green Spaces of IPB Dramaga Campus
The Fauna Conservation Union (UKF) IPB University, a student activity unit (UKM) engaged in nature conservation efforts, especially wildlife and their habitats, organized the Prayatna National Webinar, last weekend. The name Prayatna itself is taken from Sanskrit which means effort or endeavor.
This webinar explores how biodiversity and green open spaces (RTH) in urban areas contribute to reducing the impact of climate change, especially those that occur on the IPB Dramaga campus.
“This activity is an effort to recognize the campus as an urban area that has high biodiversity and green open space. It should be managed in accordance with the principles and rules of sustainable development,” said Chairman of UKF IPB University, Virdhan Aiman Hadi.
Prior to the presentation of material from the speakers, Virdhan put forward three issues to be discussed: the biodiversity potential of IPB Dramaga Campus, the precautionary principle in development planning, and the importance of regulatory support and collaborative efforts.
Present as a resource person was Prof Ani Mardiastuti, IPB University lecturer at the Department of Forest Resource Conservation and Ecotourism (KHSE), Faculty of Forestry and Environment (Fahutan) and Head of the Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Management. She explained the potential and threats of biodiversity at IPB Dramaga Campus.
“IPB Dramaga Campus is inhabited by many species of animals: birds, herpetofauna, insects, and mammals. All of them have great potential to be studied and utilized scientifically,” she said.
Prof Ani continued, some animals are also potentially dangerous to humans, such as venomous snakes and animals that have the potential to carry zoonotic diseases. On the other hand, she said, there are still threats to the sustainability of these animals. “Therefore, it requires good management and the responsibility of all of us,” she said.
Meanwhile, Dr Nyoto Santoso, Chairman of the KSHE Department of IPB University who is also the Leader of the IPB Dramaga Campus Forest Park Arboretum Management Team conveyed related to landscape spatial planning policies.
He explained that spatial and landscape management on campus was carried out by inventorying and absorbing emissions. The effort is pursued by monitoring emissions from campus activities and increasing carbon absorption capacity through green spaces.
“Landscape mapping is also carried out to manage vegetation cover by adding native species that have high carbon sequestration capacity and increasing biodiversity for local fauna habitat,” he explained.
Dr Nyoto also provided a number of strategies and spatial policy recommendations for IPB Dramaga Campus. The strategy is in the form of arboretum and green space protection, environmental education for the academic community, biodiversity management, and maintenance of vegetation quality.
“In addition, additional policy recommendations are needed by converting the results of biodiversity research on campus to develop policy guidelines, cooperating with environmental organizations, and continuous evaluation through routine monitoring,” he said. (*/Rz) (IAAS/HLF)
