ULM and University of Montreal Plant 100 Ironwood Trees to Commemorate Earth Day 2025
Banjar, South Kalimantan – In order to commemorate Earth Day 2025, Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) together with the University of Montreal, Canada, carried out a real environmental conservation action by planting 100 ironwood trees (Eusideroxylon zwageri) in the Lembah Bukit Manjai Tropical Rainforest Biodiversity Park, East Mandiangin, Banjar Regency, on Sunday, April 20, 2025.
This activity involved students of the ULM Biology Education Study Program under the guidance of Amalia Rezeki and Luthfiana Nurtamara, and was symbolically marked by the planting by Valerie Preseault, an academic representative from the University of Montreal.
“This is a pride and honor to be able to commemorate World Earth Day in South Kalimantan with a team of academics from Canada. This activity is a real form of concern for nature and an invitation to continue to foster awareness of loving the earth,” said Amalia Rezeki in Banjarmasin, quoted from Antara.
In addition to planting trees, students are also invited to spread the spirit of environmental preservation through social media, as an effort to build a wider chain of concern among the community, especially the younger generation.
The choice of ironwood trees is not without reason. This endemic plant from Kalimantan is now on the IUCN (International Conservation Union) red list and needs to be protected. Ironwood has an important role as a carbon dioxide absorber and habitat for wildlife, making it a vital element in climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
The rare tree seeds were obtained from the Botanical Private Garden owned by Chendrawan Sugianto, a rare tree conservationist and owner of PT Bandangan Tirta Agung, a pure water processing company in Banjarmasin.
Valerie Preseault, who also had the opportunity to give a guest lecture on criminal law at ULM, expressed her joy at being able to participate in this environmental activity. “This is my first experience contributing directly to the commemoration of Earth Day in Indonesia, and I am very inspired by the enthusiasm of the students here,” she said.
Every April 22, Earth Day is commemorated throughout the world as a moment of reflection on the importance of protecting the planet and all its ecosystems. Through actions like this, ULM shows its commitment to building environmental awareness and international collaboration for a more sustainable future for the earth.
