Education & Outreach

Wildlife Awareness Outreach Programmes

Wilmar’s Wildlife Awareness Outreach Programme (WAOP) brings conservation closer to the hearts of local communities living around our operational areas. The programme aims to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the HCV areas within our landscape and the wildlife that depends on them.  

The WAOPs also encourages community participation in alternative livelihood projects that can strengthen their income while promoting sustainable living.   

To sow conservation values from an early age, we also introduced a Junior WAOP to engage schoolchildren through interactive talks and creative learning activities. Some of the schools we have collaborated with include SK Matanggal, SK Binsulung , SK Sungai- Sungai, Sk Suai 2 and Humana Schools within Wilmar’s estates. These efforts not only build knowledge and awareness but also create a shared pride and responsibility in protecting nature for future generations. 

Beyond education and awareness, these activities help nurture stronger bonds between Wilmar and the surrounding communities (schools and villages) by nurturing a sense of collective duty to safeguard nature and build a thriving environment for both people and wildlife. 

Nature School (“Sekolah Alam Siswa”) with Wilmar Indonesia

We have been hosting nature school (sekolah alam) education activities in HCV areas since 2021. The activities are annually held in each of Wilmar’s plantation operations in Central Kalimantan and Sumatra. 

Schoolchildren get to participate in conservation activities that include protection, preservation and sustainable use which are important to inculcate an awareness of maintaining a balanced ecosystem.  

We start with schoolchildren because these values need to be instilled at an early age, either independently or through formal education at school. 

Our Environmental Education Programme for students aims to:  

• foster awareness and motivation of the younger generation to care about the environment;  

• provide an understanding of the functions and benefits of forests, especially conservation areas;  

• encourage the formation of positive behaviours towards the environment, such as disposing of waste in its place and maintaining the cleanliness of nature; 

• and develop an appreciation for biodiversity and the importance of natural resource conservation. 

This programme is carried out as part of a collaboration between Wilmar’s Sustainability-HCV team and primary and secondary schools nearby our operational areas in Indonesia’s West Sumatra and Central Kalimantan provinces. 

The annual educational activities include two main forms: counselling and classroom learning in schools.  

Both focus on the introduction of the environment; the function of forests and the impact of environmental damage; and field practice activities in the HCV area, which provide a hands-on learning experience in the outdoors with emphasis on safety aspects. 

The topics explored include a general introduction to forests and biodiversity, the ecological function of forests, protected animals, the role of trees as the lungs of the earth, as well as the introduction of conservation signs and information boards.