The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) through the Directorate of Forest and Land Fire Control is holding the Sipongi Goes to Campus activity: Come on, Prevent Forest and Land Fires! and the Unhas Faculty of Forestry was one of the first higher education institutions to host. The activity took place starting at 09.00 WITA in the 1st Floor Hall of the Faculty of Forestry, Unhas Tamalanrea Campus, Makassar, Thursday (21/11/2024).
Starting the activity, the Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, Unhas, Prof. Dr. Ir. A. Mujetahid M., S.Hut., M.P. In his speech, he expressed his gratitude to the Directorate of Forest and Land Fire Control, Ministry of Environment and Forestry for its trust in the Faculty of Forestry Unhas to be the first host for the implementation of Sipongi Goes to Campus.
“It is an honor for us to be given the trust to be the first Faculty to host the Sipongi Goes to Campus activity. I hope that through this activity students, lecturers and all elements involved in preventing forest and land fires can gain enlightenment and understanding regarding the importance of controlling forest and land fires,” explained prof. A. Mujetahid.
Furthermore, Prof. A. Mujetahid said that preventing and controlling forest and land fires is not only the responsibility of the Directorate of Forest and Land Fire Control but also the responsibility of all of us.
Present as a resource person was Ir. Thomas Nifinluri, M.Sc. (Director of Forest and Land Fire Control), Dr. Ir. Syamsuddin Millang, M.S. (Lecturer at the Faculty of Forestry, Unhas) and Farisa Effendi (Influencer).
Ir. Thomas Nifinluri, M.Sc. (Director of Forest and Land Fire Control) in his material said that Sipongi is the mascot for controlling forest and land fires, and represents orangutans in East Kalimantan. Since 1982 and 1983, many orangutan animals have been threatened with death.
“Apart from being a mascot, Sipongi is also an information system that provides warning and early detection of forest and land fires based on a website developed by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, namely sipongi.menlhk.go.id, as well as the name of its social media account @sipongi_klhk,” explained Thomas.
Furthermore, Thomas explained that this activity aims to increase students’ understanding of the importance of preventing and controlling forest and land fires, getting support for science and reforestation from academics because these two sides cannot be separated.
“The aim of Sipongi being present at the university is to collaborate in encouraging the MBKM program and share information regarding the latest policies regarding forest fire control as a global issue, Sipongi is part of the warning system solution in detecting potential fires, and this activity is also a representative agent of change in prevention and controlling land and forest fires,” explained Thomas.
This activity was attended by 100 students, went smoothly until 12.00 WITA and ended with the planting of tree seedlings carried out by the Director of Forest and Land Fire Control, Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, Unhas.
