From Urban Laborer to Ecotourism Worker: Finding New Livelihoods in Indonesia's Upstream Ciliwung

In Sukagalih Village, Megamendung District, Bogor Regency, West Java, young people who once made a living as day laborers in urban areas are finding new avenues through ecotourism development. Erlan, a 24-year-old, is one such individual. Two years ago, he was engaged in various jobs in Jakarta, but now he works in an ecotourism development area called EIGER Nature, earning approximately Rp100,000 per day. EIGER Nature is an ecotourism zone being developed within the Utilization Zone of Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park (TNGGP) and PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) I Regional 2 Kebun Gunung Mas. In its initial phase, EIGER Nature has employed over 500 local residents, including Erlan. Although Erlan was not very familiar with forests before, his current work is closely linked to conservation and ecological activities. He participates in regional monitoring, trail maintenance, wildlife surveys, and marking points for habitat interpretation. The forest has gradually become a new learning space for him. "These leech bites are part of absorbing new knowledge about the forest," he remarked. For many residents of Sukagalih Village, the emergence of new employment opportunities is significant, especially when options were previously limited. Projects like EIGER Nature offer local communities a chance to earn income while contributing to nature conservation, thereby fostering local economic revitalization. This development highlights the potential for ecotourism to balance sustainable tourism with community empowerment, encouraging local residents to become stewards of their natural environment for the region's sustainable growth. Source: Mongabay Indonesia