Why Music?
Nature is a masterful musician whose creations are irreplaceable. Often, we go out into nature to heal, seeking tranquility and physical and spiritual refreshment. The sound of waves crashing, the wind rustling along the beach, the chorus of animals calling out to each other, or the soothing rush of mountain streams bring peace to the human soul.
But does nature, as the musician creating this art, deserve royalties?
We invite the public to appreciate the sounds of nature, which provide humans with peace and tranquility, and to return the musicians' royalties to nature, the original composer of these songs.
Where do these sounds come from?
The album features ten nature sounds recorded by YKAN's conservation project areas across Indonesia.
The Sound of Raja Ampat Underwater
Raja Ampat Islands are an underwater paradise, located in the Coral Triangle, the world's richest hub of tropical marine biodiversity.
Bird of Paradise at Raja Ampat
In addition to its marine wealth, the forests in Raja Ampat Regency are home to 250 bird species, including the Cenderawasih, an endemic bird of Papua.
The Chimes of Wakatobi Beach
The Wakatobi Sea boasts exceptionally high marine biodiversity, with over 590 fish species and 396 types of coral reefs.
The Sound of Muara Siran Peatlands
The peatlands in Muara Siran Village, East Kalimantan, are essential for the community's livelihood and are diligently preserved.
The Morning Melody of Wehea Forest
The Wehea-Kelay Landscape is an ecosystem that serves as a crucial habitat for orangutans and boasts a relatively high diversity of flora species.
The Whispers of Nyadeng Lake
Lake Nyadeng is in Merabu Village, Kelay District, Berau, surrounded by forests, karst mountains, ancient caves, and small rivers.
The Melody of Long Pelay Forest
Long Pelay Village is located in Kelay District, Berau. The forest area in the Wehea-Kelay Landscape boasts extremely high plant diversity.
The Sounds of Kelay River
Long Duhung Village is situated in the Kelay River watershed. The Kelay River is a vital environmental resource, providing clean water for the community.
Swift birds of Teluk Semanting
Mangrove forests protect the coast from erosion and provide clean water and fresh air for the community in Teluk Semanting Village, East Kalimantan.
The Sound of Rain in Merasa Village
Merasa Village is home to the indigenous Dayak people, who began cultivating cocoa in the early 1980s.
Life Music
Nature is a musician that creates beautiful sounds. Humans often enjoy the sounds produced by nature without considering its royalties.
The Sound of Raja Ampat Underwater
The Raja Ampat Islands, which are famous for their underwater natural beauty, are located at the northwestern tip of Southwest Papua Province, have an area of 43,000 km2, and consist of four main islands, namely Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, and Misool, in addition to several other small islands such as Ayau, Love, Wayag and Kofiau. Raja Ampat has the largest concentration of hard corals and the most types of reef fish in the world. Raja Ampat is in the Papua ecoregion and is ranked at the top for marine biodiversity conservation priorities in Indonesia. Apart from that, Raja Ampat is also in the heart of the Coral Triangle and is the center of the richest tropical marine biodiversity in the world.
YKAN has assisted the Indonesian government in building and managing the Kofiau-Boo and Misool Marine Protected Areas/MPA (more than 800 thousand hectares) since 2002. Our most recent work was supporting the establishment of the North Misool MPA (300 thousand hectares) in November 2023.
Bird of Paradise at Raja Ampat
Apart from marine resources, the forests in the Raja Ampat Regency area, West Papua, are home to 250 types of birds, including the Cenderawasih bird, endemic birds to Papua. Several islands in Raja Ampat that have high biodiversity for bird tourism are Waigeo Island, Misool, Kofiau, Batanta and Salawati Island.
In May 2015, a team consisting of YKAN, the Papua Bird Club and Dr Richard Noske, an ornithologist from Australia who is also the President of Birds Queensland, carried out bird observations on Misool Island and Kofiau Island.
During observations in Kapatcol Village, South Misool District, the team saw five types of bird of paradise, namely Paradisea minor, Cicinnurus regius, Cicinnurus magnificus, Manucodia ater, and Manucodia chalybatus. These birds are relatively easy to find because they are often seen in accessible locations, such as in mangrove forests and forests in the lowlands.
The Chimes of Wakatobi Beach
Wakatobi National Park (TNW) is located in Wakatobi Regency, Southeast Sulawesi. This National Park covering an area of1.39 million hectares has existed since 1996 based on the Decree of the Minister of Forestry Number 393/Kpts-V/1996 and in 2002 through the Decree of the Minister of Forestry Number 7661/Kpts-II/2002. In 2020, based on the Decree of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number: SK.425/MENLHK/SETJEN /LA.2/11/2020 dated 12 November 2020, the area of the Wakatobi National Park experienced a change from originally 1,390,000 hectares to ± 1,320. 987 hectares.
There are four large islands located in TNW, namely Wangi-Wangi Island, Kaledupa Island, Tomia Island, and Binongko Island which form the name WAKATOBI. The Wakatobi Sea has a very high diversity of marine ecosystems with various species of seaweed from the coast, coral reefs, fish, seabirds, turtles, cetaceans, and mangroves. In this archipelago, there are more than 590 species of fish and 396 types of coral reefs.
YKAN collaborates with the Wakatobi National Park Office, local government, indigenous communities, and other stakeholders to support effective management. Currently, YKAN actively engages with the community as part of an integrated Wakatobi National Park management strategy.
The Sound of Muara Siran Peatlands
Peatlands in Muara Siran Village, East Kalimantan are a source of livelihood for the community. Inside there are lakes and forests that are still guarded by residents. YKAN, through the Natural Climate Solutions strategy from peat ecosystems, has been calculating carbon savings and monitoring greenhouse gas emissions in Muara Siran Village since mid-2022.
One of the interesting findings is that the peat in Muara Siran is thousands of years old. Some are 6 thousand years old, but some are still relatively young at 100 years old, according to the results of research conducted by the YKAN scientific team and partners.
Currently, communities living in Muara Siran no longer cut down peat forests. The forest around the lake is a source of livelihood support and is constantly protected. This location is also a fish spawning place, a place for swallows to nest, and a tourist destination for people in the surrounding area. Protecting the lake can also maintain the natural condition of the peat.
The Morning Melody of Wehea Forest
The Wehea-Kelay Landscape is an ecosystem that is an important habitat for orangutans. The Bornean orangutan is a flag species in the Wehea-Kelay Landscape. The Bornean orangutan is the flag species in the Wehea-Kelay Landscape because this species is the only non-human primate great ape in Borneo.
The forest areas in the Wehea-Kelay Landscape are still in relatively good condition. This can be seen from the condition of the land cover or the status of the forest area. Forest areas still dominate the land cover in the Wehea-Kelay Landscape. This area has a relatively high diversity of flora types. The diversity of types, distribution, structure, and abundance of these types of flora greatly determines the hue and dynamics of life within it.
The survey results of the Balitek Research KSDA-YKAN Team which were compiled with data from the High Conservation Values/HVC document also show that the presence of primates, carnivores (Carnivora), and ungulates (Artiodactyla) is the most dominant in this region. Other types that have also been identified are from the orders Pholidota and Chiroptera. Especially for primates, this group has an important role in spreading seeds in the forest, thereby, helping plant regeneration, especially fruit and seed plants.
YKAN together with partners and stakeholders, work together to maintain biodiversity and ensure the preservation of the Wehea-Kelay Landscape.
The Whispers of Nyadeng Lake
Nyadeng Lake is in Merabu Village, Kelay District, Berau. Merabu Village, with an area of 22,000 hectares, is 130 KM from the Regency capital, Tanjung Redeb. This village has a lot of natural resources, there is a protected forest area of 10,800 hectares, a production forest of 12,200 hectares, and a karst area of 7,500 hectares.
This village exudes a natural atmosphere of forests, karst mountains, ancient caves and small rivers that are clear due to the influence of limestone. Lake Nyadeng, for example, has clear, cool turquoise water that flows from the karst mountains.
In Merabu Village there are several interesting caves. One of them is the Beloyot Cave which holds ancient historical relics, in the form of images of palms estimated to be more than 4,000 years old. Most of the people in this village come from the Dayak Lebok tribe.
Through The Community Inspirational Action for Change (SIGAP) approach, YKAN with the Merabu’s Village Community, identifies natural resource assets in this place. By getting to know the existing natural assets, the community developed a Village Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMDES) to manage natural resources sustainably and provide sustainable livelihood options.
The Sounds of Kelay River
Based on the watershed boundaries (DAS), the Wehea-Kelay Landscape consists of two watersheds, namely the Wahau Watershed and the Kelay Watershed. Long Duhung Village is located in the Kelay watershed. The function of the 2 watersheds, both the Wahau Watershed and the Kelay Watershed in the Wehea-Kelay landscape, is to provide the most important environmental services in the form of clean water supply for the lives of local communities (including economic, social, and cultural).
Berau has a complex river network starting from the Berau river where this river is the confluence of the Segah and Kelay rivers as well as other rivers that enter both the Segah and Kelay rivers. The Kelay river area is part of the Berau river watershed which originates in Berau Bay, where in the Tanjung Redeb area it meets the upstream of the Segah river.
As an inseparable part of the Wehea-Kelay Landscape, the Kelay River is one of the priority natural resources that needs to be maintained and protected.
Swift birds of Teluk Semanting
Mangrove forests are natural fortresses that protect coastal areas from erosion, abrasion, and large waves. They also provide clean water and fresh air. That's the experience of the people of Teluk Semanting Village, Pulau Derawan District, Berau Regency, East Kalimantan.
The villagers have agreed to protect the entire mangrove ecosystem for ecotourism development. Regarding livelihoods, the women's group in Teluk Semanting Village has developed amplang and cracker products. The women's group is also experimenting with natural batik dyes extracted from mangrove leaves and fruits.
YKAN and partners support the Berau Regency Government in the sustainable management of mangrove ecosystems. From 2019 to June 2021, they developed livelihood activities and awareness programs for women's groups through the "Aksi Inspiratif Warga untuk Perubahan" program (SIGAP).
The Sound of Rain in Merasa Village
Merasa Village, Long Lanuk, and Suaran are home to the indigenous Dayak people, who began cultivating cocoa in the early 1980s. In addition to their commitment to protecting 15,000 hectares of natural forest under a social forestry scheme, their practice of cocoa agroforestry has contributed to increasing forest cover by more than 300 hectares.
Developing sustainable commodities through YKAN's Forest Conservation by Communities strategy has helped cocoa farmers improve their crops' quality and market value. YKAN encourages the development of fermented cocoa beans because of their ecological balance, better prices for farmers, and sustainability. High-quality fermented cocoa beans are produced when cocoa plantations are near well-preserved forests.
Merasa's dry fermented cocoa beans have fruity, citrus, honey, and slightly nutty flavors. They were nominated for the 2021 Cacao Excellence Award in Paris. In addition to supplying dried cocoa beans to several Indonesian chocolate artisan brands, the community also produces its signature Merasa Village chocolate bars and drinks.