Indonesia

Study marine ecology and conservation on this small island neighboring Nusa Penida. The highly diverse reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds around these islands have recently been declared a marine protected area (MPA). As part of this trip, discover and practice the field techniques used to monitor MPAs, including methods for surveying corals, fishes, and some of the significant megafauna such as manta rays. You will also learn from one of the most successful community-based conservation organizations for bird protection, which has successfully re-introduced the Bali Starling (Leucopsar rothschildi) to the wild after more than 25 years of trials by many parties including government, local and international NGOs.

West Bali
Learn about the lowland forests of West Bali National Park and the challenges they pose, especially for the only endemic species of Bali wildlife, the Bali starling (Leucopsar rothschildi). You will assess the application of conservation principles and their efficacy in managing West Bali National Park.

Central Bali
Learn about significant changes in the landscape due to natural causes at Batur UNESCO Global Geopark area, and visit the Geopark Museum to gain a better understanding of the forest’s natural regeneration. On your last excursion in Central Bali, you will stay in simple accommodations with magnificent rice terraces and mountains at Besikalung Wildlife Sanctuary. This is not only a community-based conservation area, but it is also a cultural UNESCO World Heritage site for a traditional rice farming practice known as Subak. Learn about wildlife conservation and local culture, as well as the main causes of forest conversion in Bali and other challenges. You will have a chance to live with a farming family and experience aspects of their daily lives. 

North Bali
Examine coral reef conservation, fisheries management, and conservation of species in agricultural landscapes. Visit two important sites to learn about a Biorock coral restoration project and one of the best sustainable fish and coral reef harvesting activities for commercial purposes. Learn how local fisherman maintain their income by restoring and protecting the fish habitat and sustainably harvesting the fish.

On the easternmost part of Java, encounter some of the island’s largest forest remnants in a patchwork of conservation areas surrounded by intensively used farmlands. Here, the potential for biodiversity conservation is tightly linked to the community’s needs for space, food security, and opportunities to engage in the flourishing tourism sector, as well as invasive species control.

Take a seven-day excursion into conservation areas of the Tanjung Puting National Park, the site of the famous long-term study of orangutan ecology and conservation and home to a diverse community of primates and other large fauna. Observe primates in the park and other wildlife, and stay at the Friends of the National Parks Foundation (FNPF) conservation center, where the restoration of habitat on degraded land is a key project. In the surrounding plantations, mainly of oil palm, witness the precious value of habitat remnants and the ongoing pressure on them.