"Getting the message out"

The Malinau survey provided significant insight into "what is important to communities living in tropical forest landscapes”. The MLA team wanted to give back this information to the Malinau communities and help them communicate their needs to other local stakeholders.

We first prepared four posters and a set of playing cards for that purpose and later produced a film. Our information also contributed to the new environmental education curriculum for the district.

Playing cards

The playing cards present the 40 most important plant and animal species for local people in Malinau. Each card shows a picture of a plant or animal, with its names in different local languages.

Little drawings show the uses and places where the species can be found, as well as people's views on possible threats and ideas how to conserve the species.

On the other hand, court cards have facts about the forests in Malinau written on them.

Several thousand packs of these cards have been distributed and were received enthusiastically.