Education on Turtle Conservation and Environmental Health, a Form of Community Service of Postgraduate Program of Udayana University in Santen Island, Banyuwangi.

• Posted by: Admin
• Sabtu, 8 Juni 2024
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Saturday, June 6, 2024 at Santen Island, Banyuwangi, Udayana University Postgraduate Program (Unud) in collaboration with the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Natural Sciences (FIKKIA) Airlangga University (Unair) has carried out Community Service Activities with the theme Turtle Conservation and Environmental Health Education on Santen Island, Banyuwangi. Aside from being one of the implementations of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, this community service activity was carried out in commemoration of the Environment Day which falls on June 5, 2024. 

This occasion was attended by representatives of Koramil, Kodim representatives, Banyuwangi Police representatives, local government ranks, representatives of FIKKIA Unair deans and students, representatives of Santen Island turtle conservation cadres, representatives of Karangrejo Eco Brick cadres, facilitator teams from the Westerlaken Alliance Indonesia Foundation (YWAI) and Postgraduate Unud and local community representatives. This activity began with planting sea pandanus trees around Santen Island carried out by representatives of Postgraduate Unud, FIKKIA Unair and local residents followed by a discussion about the importance of maintaining natural plants on the beach to protect sea turtle conservation followed by presentation of material on sea turtle conservation by the YWAI facilitator team and Postgraduate Unud which was then continued with environmental health education.

Prof. Ir. I Wayan Arthana, M.Sc,. Ph.D as one of the facilitator team from Postgraduate Unud explained the importance of maintaining natural beach plants as an effort to preserve sea turtles. "Ipomoea pes-caprae or known as katang-katang and Spinifex plants are natural beach plants, these plants are very important to preserve because in addition to maintaining the diversity of species on the beach, this is also an effort to preserve sea turtles", said Prof. Arthana. These plants can be used as a shelter for turtles when laying eggs, the turtles will make deceptive holes under these plants to avoid predators.

Conservation education and community service activities like this are expected to be carried out on an ongoing basis. "As a student and volunteer, I feel very happy with the holding of activities like this, because in addition to being able to add relationships, increase knowledge and can also help increase public insight into the importance of preserving sea turtles and natural plants on the beach," said Reza, one of the student representatives from FIKKIA Unair.

This community service activity is expected to bring benefits to all communities around the conservation area. "Hopefully this activity can bring benefits to all and hope that turtle conservation activities in the santen island environment can be carried out consistently and sustainably," concluded Prof. Nyoman Pujianiki, as Deputy Director of Postgraduate Unud. (bmp)