UNAIR NEWS – Prigi Arisandi, M.Sc., an alumnus of Universitas Airlangga’s (UNAIR) Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), has made a profound impact on environmental preservation. He founded the Ecological Observation and Wetland Conservations (ECOTON) foundation, which specializes in ecological research and wetland conservation. ECOTON’s mission is centered on protecting river and coastal ecosystems, with a primary focus on Surabaya and its neighboring regions.
According to Arisandi, ECOTON was created to preserve Indonesia’s rivers and coastal environments, particularly those in Surabaya. The foundation leverages citizen science to empower communities to monitor and protect their local rivers and ecosystems.
Innovations with far-reaching impacts
Since its official establishment in 2000, ECOTON has developed a series of innovative programs that benefit both the environment and society. One standout initiative is the “Fish Sanctuary” program, designed to safeguard native river fish species from pollution and overfishing.
The Fish Sanctuary initiative plays a vital role in environmental preservation while educating communities about the importance of sustainable river ecosystems. “This initiative represents a multi-stakeholder collaboration involving communities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academics, and industries to implement conservation efforts aimed at protecting fish populations in the Surabaya River. As a result of this innovation, a gubernatorial regulation was established to form a fisheries protection zone team,” he explained.
ECOTON also incorporates art and science into its efforts to enhance public environmental awareness. Projects such as plastic bottle tunnels, biodiversity monitoring programs like Biotilik, and others showcase its creative approach. Additionally, the foundation combines legal and non-legal advocacy as part of its broader strategy to protect the environment.
Communities at the core
Community involvement is integral to ECOTON’s success. Arisandi emphasized that women and children, who are often most vulnerable to environmental pollution, are at the heart of the foundation’s initiatives. Strengthening these groups is a key priority.
“The initial step is to build trust and confidence among women and youth, often through citizen science. We conduct collaborative research to uncover evidence of ongoing environmental degradation. From this foundation, we encourage communities to speak out and assert their right to a healthy environment,” he explained.
Arisandi further stressed the importance of close community engagement, which often involves living among the people being supported. “To truly help, it’s essential to integrate into the communities we assist, staying for months or even years. Currently, we are working with communities in the Balantieng River Basin, Bulukumba, South Sulawesi,” he added.
Author: Nadia Azahrah Putri
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
