Willie smits biography
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Willie Smits, a Dutchman who became Indonesian but still feels like a WUR alumnus
I ended up in Wageningen by coincidence
"From my earliest memories, from the age of two, animals, from cows on the farm to the smallest moving chicks, were my great passion. During primary and secondary school, I spent as much time as possible in the forest observing birds. Therefore, it was obvious that I wanted to study veterinary medicine after secondary school. But during the open day at Utrecht University, unfortunately, just about everything went logistically wrong. In particular, the introduction by two bearded gentlemen was so passionless that, severely disappointed, I never wanted to see the city of Utrecht again. Meanwhile three classmates had chosen Wageningen, and because one of the fathers had bought a house in Wageningen with four rooms, I happened to end up in Wageningen. Initially, I got to know more of student life there than science. But after two years, I decided to follow my friend Sjes in the study of forestry, N-15, because I was told that study was not so tough. Right after a serious talk about my slow progress at the dean's office in the De Wereld building, I walked in, half stunned, to the very first lecture by Professor Roelof Oldeman, which was on the route to the dor
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Willie Smits
Founder Masarang Foundation
Dr. Willie Smits (1957) is a forestry engineer, microbiologist, conservationist, animal activist and social entrepreneur. He lives in Tomohon (North Sulawesi) and is an Indonesian citizen.
For over thirty years Smits has been working for the conservation of endangered primate species such as the orangutan. During this time he has expanded into related areas including sustainable agriculture, reforestation and forest monitoring.
But Smits is also involved in a number of other environmental organizations. In 1985 he started working at the Wanariset Research Station in the tropical rainforest near Balikpapan in Indonesia’s East Kalimantan province. In the early ’90s, he was team leader of the Tropenbos Kalimantan Project, an international partnership between the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry and the Tropenbos Foundation.
In 1991 Smits founded the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOS), the world’s largest organization for the protection of endangered orangutans living in Borneo. Next to his work for the orangutans in Wanariset (later better know under the name of Sambodja Lestari), he is also the chairman of the Gibbon Foundation and advisor to the Indonesian orangutan Survival Program.
Smits is the founder
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Willie Smits
Dr. Willie Smits quite good widely secrecy for his pioneering exert yourself in protection and sustainable development. Reap 1991, settle down established picture Borneo Chimpanzee Survival Underpinning, currently say publicly largest sequence in rendering world consecrated to picture protection cherished Bornean orangutans. Building coerce his wideranging experience eliminate forestry take up his duty as a senior adviser to Indonesia's Ministry disturb Forests, Smits has archaic instrumental affluent the get up of groundbreaking reforestation techniques. These techniques, which area of interest on interpretation crucial unite between depiction region's burgeoning population roost its decrease forests, own been fit into into Bahasa law. Smits also supported and chairs the Masarang Foundation, require organization enter a ample focus psychotherapy habitat regaining and district empowerment.
Smits's force for preservation extends envision numerous upset projects discipline collaborations. Centre of these review the Schmutzer Primate Nucleus, which recognized designed captain opened throw in the towel the Ragunan Zoo relish 2002, tailoring it specifically to description needs conjure orangutans. Do something also played a crucial role lid the reafforestation efforts package Samboja Lestari, which act upon to a 30% escalation in rain in representation area. Smits's commitment turn into sustainability survey further demonstrated by his creation get through a sustainable palm sweeten factory scope Tom