Collaborative Beach Clean-Up Action in Wakatobi National Park Area

To reduce plastic waste in the Wakatobi National Park area, the local government of Tomia District, the Wakatobi National Park Agency (BTNW), the Tomia Island Waste Management Unit (UPTD), and the Nusantara Nature Conservation Foundation (YKAN) held a beach clean-up event along the shores of Kollo Soha Village, specifically Hondue Beach and Soha Beach. This event, also supported by UNIQLO, was held on May 29-30, 2024.

This collaborative effort involved various parties, particularly the younger generation, such as the One Mohute Youth Organization, students from several schools, and the residents of Kollo Soha Village. The selection of Hondue Beach and Soha Beach for the clean-up was not without reason. Both beaches have significant tourism potential. Besides having beautiful coastlines, tourists, especially locals, often visit these beaches.

"This year, Kollo Soha Village was included in the list of the 300 best tourist villages awarded by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy through the Indonesian Tourism Village Award 2024. Therefore, it is essential for all of us to maintain the cleanliness of the beach environment in Kollo Soha Village," said Jamuddin, the Head of Tomia District.

However, waste often threatens the natural preservation of Hondue Beach and Soha Beach. YKAN's observations from September 2023 to January 2024 found about 11,585 kg, or 87%, of household waste and 124 kg, or 13%, of coastal waste on these beaches.

"One of the challenges in waste management on small islands is the limited land for waste storage and waste from outside areas carried by currents and winds. This leads to pressure on natural resources and threats to the habitat and species health around these beaches," explained Iwanuddin, Head of Section III Tomia-Binongko of the Wakatobi National Park Agency.

Reflecting on these challenges, collaborative action is necessary to reduce waste and enhance Kollo Soha Village's tourism potential. "This beach clean-up activity is just one of three major agendas. The other two are socializing waste separation from the household level and environmental education for the younger generation. Suppose the beaches in Kollo Soha Village are clean. In that case, it can impact the development of tourism potential and economic value for the community itself," said Sahirun, Acting Head of Kollo Soha Village.

Based on the observations, YKAN provided several recommendations to address the land limitation for waste management. These include recommending reducing the use of single-use plastic packaging by using reusable tumblers and shopping baskets. Additionally, the community was given guidelines on efficiently separating organic and non-organic waste and managing organic waste into compost. This aims to reduce household waste piles and address land limitations.

During the two-day beach clean-up activity, 297 kg of non-organic plastic waste was collected. After being collected and sorted, economically valuable waste was sent to plastic waste collectors.

Partnership for Nature Conservation

Since 2022, YKAN has assisted Kollo Soha Village through the Inspirational Citizen Actions for Change (SIGAP) approach. The Wakatobi Regency Government has designated it a tourist village relying on marine tourism potential. The three major activities to address waste challenges in Kollo Soha Village are outlined in the 2024 Annual Work Plan (RKT) document between BTNW and YKAN.

In addition to the local government and community, BTNW, and YKAN, this collaborative action is supported by a partnership with the private sector, namely UNIQLO. Since 2023, UNIQLO and YKAN have collaborated to address challenges in several areas, including Kollo Soha Village.

"Hopefully, through the actions taken by UNIQLO along with other partners in Kollo Soha Village, we can reduce the amount of plastic waste in the beach environment and increase awareness among the community and younger generation about waste management. Therefore, we strongly support such collaborative actions, as we can contribute to environmental sustainability and provide value to the community," said Irma Yunita, Director of Corporate Affairs at PT Fast Retailing Indonesia (UNIQLO).

YKAN welcomes the partnership with UNIQLO and other partners to impact environmental conservation in Indonesia positively. "Sustainable environmental management must be done collaboratively. Therefore, YKAN strives to continue engaging various parties in their respective roles to achieve sustainable natural resource management," concluded La Ode Arifudin, YKAN's Wakatobi Program Coordinator.