Better Lawns and Gardens Hour 1 – Coming to you from Summit Responsible Solutions Studios.  Garden expert, Teresa Watkins interviews Pungky Pratama, Founder and Executive Director of the Sumatra Nature & Biodiversity Conservation Foundation in Sumatra, Indonesia.  Pungky tells why his island’s flora and fauna is rapidly being lost to theft and development. Sumatra is well known as a biodiversity hotspot, home to some of the world's rarest animals and plant species like the Raffesia arnoldii. More than 350 species of Sumatra’s Orchids, Nepenthes, Hoya, Aroids, Begonias, and many more of their native plants can be grown in Florida’s climate. This is the only place where tigers, elephants, rhinos, and orangutans live together. But these magnificent creatures are disappearing as their forest homes are rapidly being cut down to make way for plantations or illegal logging. Rampant poaching also poses a grave threat to the survival of the island's endangered species. 

In 2017, Pungky Pratama and a colleague created an environmental education program together called “The Jungle Library Project” as a part of the Sumatra Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Foundation. This project focuses on raising awareness to a younger generation attending schools located in areas of high deforestation and human-wildlife conflict at the border of Isau-Isau Wildlife Reserve, South Sumatra. This vitally important program needs your financial support to continue their education efforts. Please consider a one-time donation of $1, $5, $10, or whatever you can provide. Follow Pungky on Facebook to see his incredible  photographs of Sumatra flora and fauna posted daily.  

The Florida Wildflower and Garden Festival will be Saturday, March 25th in Deland 9am – 3pm. Teresa answers garden questions and more. https://bit.ly/3c1f5x7

Graphic credit: Pungky Pratama, Teresa Watkins 

Listen every Saturdays from 7am - 9am EST on WFLA- Orlando. Call inh with your garden questions and text messages on 1-888.455.2867 and 23680, Miss the live broadcast? Listen on Audioboom podcast 24/7. https://bit.ly/3c1f5x7

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