Approximately 30% of the Earth’s surface is covered by forests, which are a source of basic necessities for nearly all living things. Without forests, living things would no longer have enough oxygen, two-thirds of terrestrial species would lose their homes, and humans would lose their need for wood.

Given the immense importance of forests to living things, especially humans, have we paid more attention? In fact, over 80% of the Earth’s original forests have been destroyed. We often see media reports of forest destruction caused by human activity. Is that what humans can repay after all their needs are met by forests?

With this problem as a background, yesterday, March 21, the Social and Environmental Department of BEM FMIPA UI 2018, held an activity as an effort to commemorate World Forest Day in the courtyard of the B FMIPA building area, UI Campus, Depok.

This event featured a booth where visitors, students from all departments of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) at UI, could interact and participate in exciting games prepared by the FMIPA UI Student Executive Board (BEM). The games were themed around forests.

Salsabila Afifah (Mathematics 2016) from the Social and Environmental Department of the Student Executive Board of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia, stated that preparations for this activity were relatively short. However, she assessed that the results met expectations. She noted that the activity attracted the attention and curiosity of visitors. She also explained that each visitor was greeted with a “Happy World Forest Day.”

In addition, Salsabila continued, the committee also provided many interesting facts and news about forests, both on a UI, Indonesian, and even international scale.

“We are willing to explain and answer questions regarding these facts,” he said.

Through this simple activity, BEM FMIPA UI 2018 hopes to increase the awareness of FMIPA UI students to preserve forests and the surrounding environment.