As part of ARC-BRES窶冱 project for the empowerment of young scientists in Asian regions, we successfully implemented the Education Program for Conservation and Rehabilitation of Tropical Forests (AY2025) in cooperation with Mulawarman University (UNMUL), Indonesia.
A total of ten undergraduate and graduate students from the University of Tokyo and seven undergraduate students from the Faculty of Forestry, UNMUL participated in the program. They visited forested areas facing various anthropogenic pressures, such as capital transition and coal mining, as well as sites of conservation and rehabilitation. Through these field visits, participants observed firsthand the changing realities of tropical forest ecosystems.
By exchanging ideas with people from different viewpoints and backgrounds, participants broadened their perspectives, deepened their thoughts, and built meaningful connections.
The Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences (UTokyo) and UNMUL have maintained an academic exchange partnership since 2006, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) covering education and research collaboration. Over the years, this partnership has fostered numerous joint activities and achievements, providing a strong foundation for the current program.
Building on these long-standing collaborations, the AY2025 program was implemented successfully and is expected to serve as a platform for further exchange and cooperation in the future. The program will be implemented in the next academic year and will continue in subsequent years, with improvements guided by feedback from participating students and faculty members to enhance its educational impact and outcomes.
We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to the faculty members and the participating students of the Faculty of Forestry, UNMUL, as well as the administrative staff of UNMUL, all under the leadership of Dr. Sukartiningsih, Vice Rector of UNMUL, for their dedicated and heartfelt contributions. Without their support, this program would not have been such a success.
Program Schedule (July 28 窶 August 2, AY2025)
| July 28 (Mon) | AM: Opening & Guidance, Lectures 1 & 2 |
|---|---|
| PM: Visit to Tropical Rainforest at Bukit Bankirai Park | |
| July 29 (Tue) | AM: Visit to Bukit Soeharto Research and Education Forest (BSREF), Nursery, Lecture 3 |
| PM: Experimental Sites, Planting Practice | |
| July 30 (Wed) | Visit to Conserved Forest at Kutai National Park, Lecture 4 |
| July 31 (Thu) | Visit to Mentawir Nursery and Forest City |
| August 1 (Fri) | Visit to Rehabilitation Sites of Ex-Coal-Mining Area (Bukit Baiduri Energi, BBE) |
| August 2 (Sat) | Presentations, Closing Ceremony, Farewell Party |
Managing Faculty Members:
Dr. Mariko Norisada (Associate Professor, ARC-BRES, GSALS, UTokyo)
Dr. Yoko Saito (Associate Professor, Dept. of Ecosystem Studies, GSALS, UTokyo)
Dr. Sukartiningsih (Vice Rector, UNMUL; Lecturer, Faculty of Forestry, UNMUL)
Cooperative Faculty Members at UTokyo:
Dr. Katsumi Kojima (Professor, ARC-BRES, GSALS, UTokyo)
Dr. Masaya Masumori (Lecturer, Dept. of Forest Science, GSALS, UTokyo)
Dr. Satoshi Tsuyuki (Emeritus Professor, UTokyo)
