#KawanBelantara Inspiration: Mellyana Sary Plants 1,000 Trees for the People’s Prosperity

#KawanBelantara or Belantara Friends is an environmental community initiated by Belantara Foundation. Its members are environment enthusiasts from youth with missions of environmental conservation, forest conservation, and climate change impact prevention. Every month we will highlight one profile of #KawanBelantara to share their story in their fight to make a better earth.

#KawanBelantara in-Profile for this May is Mellyana Sari! Melly is a student Majoring in Biology in the Mathematics and Natural Science Faculty of Riau University. Currently, Melly is undertaking an internship for six months, from March-August 2022, with Belantara Foundation. 

Melly’s story began with her learning about the potential of Koto Tuo Small Village (dusun), Kuntu Village, Kampar Kiri, Kampar, Riau. Koto Tuo dusun lies in a quite large area with a soil condition that is suitable for agriculture and plantation sectors. Mellyana Sary, a student Majoring in Biology in the Mathematics and Natural Science Faculty (FMIPA) of Riau University, participated in the annual tree seed program, planting 1,000 seeds in the community land in this small village.

These seeds were planted across the community land in Koto Tuo Small Village, in a total area of 2,775 hectares. The annual planted seeds were durian and mango. This planting was one of a series of programs called BONJOUR (Biology on Journey) with a theme of “Synergized Biology Serving the Country”, attended by the Head of the Biology Departmenet of FMIPA of Universitas Riau, the Kuntu Village Head, on 15 February 2020. 

Planting durian and mango trees was intended to provide fruit food source that can be consumed, and to conserve fruit trees in Koto Tuo Small Village, Kuntu Village. Not only for consumption but the harvested durians and mangos are also expected to provide economic and welfare improvements for the people.

Seeds of durian and mango trees were selected because they can be harvested in years to come. Durian trees can be harvested after 8-10 years, while mangos can be harvested once in a year. Both of these trees are expected to provide benefits to the village for a long time/years. The beneficiaries in this planting program are all of the people of Koto Tuo Small Village, estimated to be 1,172 people.

Melly hopes that the planted durian and mango tree can be well maintained and treated by the people. This way, in several years, the fruits can be picked, and this can achieve a prosperous society and sustainable environment.