FIKKIA NEWS – Increasing collaboration, FIKKIA Universitas Airlanga carried out community service together with Postgraduate at Udayana University on Saturday (08/06/2024). The agenda for this activity is turtle conservation and environmental health education on Santen Island Beach, Banyuwangi.
This activity was attended by FIKKIA Unair Public Health Study Program Lecturer, Susy Katikana Sebayar, SP, M.Sc., PhD and FIKKIA Unair Veterinary Medicine Study Study Lecturer, Aditya Yudhana, drh., M.Sc. As well as the postgraduate head of Udayana University, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ni Nyoman Pujianiki, ST., MT., M.Eng, IPM and his staff.
Apart from the two universities, this activity collaborates with the Wastelaken Foundation in Bali, Indonesia. The foundation is a non-profit organization that operates in the field of environmental conservation.
Planting 20 sea pandan seedlings in the north of the island started a series of community service. All participants carried out planting which was led directly by the Banyuwangi District Military Command as the land manager. Apart from that, there are several plants that are still preserved on the coast of Santen Island, namely sea kekara (Canavalia rosea), katang-katang (Ipomoea pes-caprae), and grass running around.
Maintain the natural plant diversity of the beach
Prof. Ir. Ida Ayu Astarini, M.Sc., PhD as Head of the Environmental Science Master's Study Program at Udayana University said that the existence of these three plants plays a very important role in maintaining the natural ecosystem of Santen Island Beach. Its roots spread into the ground and are able to maintain and bind the soil beneath it, making it useful in preventing coastal erosion
“I'm happy, the three of them are still here. "It can be conveyed to the community to maintain these plants," he said when interviewed by the FIKKIA Unair journalist team.
The environmental science graduate lecturer explained that many beaches in Bali have lost their ecological function. Beaches are used more for tourism, transportation and development activities so they are vulnerable to natural and environmental damage.
Taken from various sources
"We can see here, there are mangroves, prawn cypress, sea pandan, waru, coconut milk, ketepeng, katang-katang, sea kekara, and running plants, we can find them easily. "This must be maintained by the community and responsible stakeholders here," said Prof. Ida
Homogeneous (similar) ecosystems are more vulnerable to their existence. He also explained that if the ecosystem only had mangroves, if there were plant diseases or pests it would spread more quickly because there were no other resilient plants. It's a different story if the plants are diverse. There will be a role for other plants as barriers to the spread of plant diseases.
The next agenda is discussion and consultation on turtle conservation efforts by the Westerlaken Foundation with coastal communities. Turtle conservation is based on community empowerment so that they are able to manage this conservation independently. Community service activities continued with health checks and children's games.
The event went smoothly, it is hoped that all parties involved can continue to maintain environmental stability and preserve the biodiversity on Santen Island Beach.
The activities in this article are the implementation of SDGs values point 3. Good Health and Well Being, 14th Life Below Water, 15th Life on land and the 17th Partnership for the Goals
Author: Aqila Fawzia
Editor: Avicenna C. Nisa