Bali's Youth Champion Forest Conservation and Local Ecotourism

Deep within the Mertajati Forest in central Bali, a group of young people is charting a new course for their community's future. They have formed an organization called 'Baga Raksa Alas Mertajati (Brasti),' dedicated to conserving the forest inherited from their ancestors and advocating for its recognition as a customary forest. Members of Brasti hail from four villages (catur desa) within the Dalem Tamblingan Customary Community (MADT). They have long lived alongside Lake Tamblingan and the Mertajati Forest, viewing the forest as a sacred trust from their ancestors and Lake Tamblingan as the key to water management in Tabanan Regency. For years, they have strived to protect the forest's integrity. However, a 1996 decree from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry designating Alas Mertajari as a Nature Tourism Park inadvertently opened avenues for threats to the forest. Furthermore, in 2008, a plan to expand villages emerged, potentially blurring the historical significance and customary rights of the area. In response to these challenges, Brasti was formed, comprising representatives from each village. Brasti recognizes the importance of customary forests and continues to lobby the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. "The forest is the main source of your life, it must not be tampered with, only its byproducts should be taken," stated Ardana, quoting the ancestors' message. Their struggle, however, is far from easy. From 2019 to the present, Brasti is still awaiting action from the Buleleng Regency Government, which has yet to form a verification team for its designation as a customary forest. To address economic issues that often drive residents to extract resources from the forest, Brasti has established 'Baga Sri Sedana,' tasked with economic empowerment outside the forest area through conservation, creative economy, and the utilization of local resources. One of their strategies involves encouraging farmers to switch to planting hardwood trees that are not only economically beneficial but also strengthen the landscape outside the Alas Mertajati area. Currently, coffee cultivation is among the initiatives being pursued. This article was originally published on Mongabay