Three years in the making, we are glowing with pride with the unveiling of the wonderful Tangkoko Education Centre! It has taken a huge amount of work – conceptualising, planning, designing, writing & editing text panels, painting murals among many other tasks – this really has been a monumental team effort!

The Ministry of Environment & Forestry’s BKSDA North Sulawesi collaborated with SAMA Nature Protection Alliance to bring this creation to Tangkoko. Careful coordination was required to brainstorm with local partners, communities, guides & other stakeholders about what would make the centre effective, then put those ideas into practice! After constructing the building in 2016, the challenge was to find the funds to create an engaging & meaningful visitor experience.

“TEC” as she is called, has 3 main objectives…to educate, excite & empower! TEC aims to provide engaging, clear information about Tangkoko’s unique wildlife, threats & conservation efforts, to foreign visitors & local school & community groups. The hope is that while supporting the guides’ tours, visitors will take away a new appreciation for how special this park is, be inspired by the unique wildlife & discover new ideas about actions to help preserve nature both here & at home.

This project was generously sponsored by EPASS with funds from GEF coordinated by UNDP, along with Boras Zoo, & additional support from other sponsors. There are so many people who have put in time & effort to make this a reality all of whom deserve huge thanks, from creative ideas, building preparations & printing materials, to cooperation of guides, park staff, local communities & partners. Special appreciation goes to Simon Purser from Wallacea Nature for his creativity, knowledge & determination to fulfil this project. Next, a special plug for the skilful designwork from our Education Coordinator Prisi Loijens (a wizard at working under pressure!) & all the great input from the SY team! Finally, a deep & sincere thank you & big applause to the incredibly talented wildlife artist Dao Van Hoang. With his stunning mastery of the paintbrushes, Hoang truly breathed life, colour and feeling into this beautiful education centre.

While TEC is already an appealing educational resource ready for visitors, the official opening at the National Nature Conservation Festival last week represented just the first phase and there remains still much to be done! We are already well on the way with the second round of information panels, fun facts and special sections for the kids, and will be working towards more interactive elements and features as the centre progresses. Any suggestions and ideas always welcome! 😊

A beautiful, informative and educational hub for all ages to enjoy, TEC is a major step towards ecotourism principles in KPHK Tangkoko.