Ecotourism Program in Malasari is operated by local residents. Since started our program, many activity has developed. For example, Jungle trekking and bird watching as Nature experience program, rice reaping and food harvesting in the forest as Cultural Experience program.

Local community continue trial and error toward their dreams to conserve environment in national park and cultural inheritence.

Even their purpose is conservation for home village, activities are not completed only in the village.
It is very important to learn about similar initiatives in other areas and collaborate with the National park management administration.

In this term, we report two activities that carried out outside of Malasari village

1）Study tour to other National Park.

Our SATO YAMA UMI project in Indonesia has implemented in collaboration between Conservation International (CI) Indonesia and JEEF Indonesia.
CI Indonesia has extensive experience in nature conservation activities and is also involved in ecotourism development. To learn the experience and to build solidarity for each community, we conducted study tour form Malasari to project site of CI Indonesia.

CI’s Project has implemented in Gunung Gede Pangrango Ntional Park which located in West Java province.
Both our project site in Gunung Halimun Salak National Park and CI’s project site in Gunung Gede Pangrango Ntional Park are located in West Java province. It is close in distance, and the natural environment is very similar.

Ten young people from Malasari village participated in the study tour. From the Bodogol region of CI’s project site, three CI staff and nine people responded.

In the study tour, participants from Malasari are join ecotourism in Bodogol. Participants from Bodogol introduced methods of nature interpretation and correspondence to tourists.

In interpretation of bird watching, Malasari participants learned how to attract interest of tourists, not only the bird's observation methods itself, but also the explanation of interaction between human and nature.

Observation of aquatic insects has conducted in the small stream on the trekking route.
Participants from Malasari are so excited for deep knowledge from Bodogol villagers

The prepared materials brought special impression to the young people of Malasari.
Discussion has occurred on the spot whether Malasari can do similar efforts.

Participation in the study tour was a great experience for the participants form Marasari. As a program officer, I am looking forward to the development from this experience by young people in Malasari.

2）Exhibition on art festival

At end of August, Art Festival of Gunung Halimun Salak National Park was carried out from National Park Authority. Malasari village shows traditional music playing ss a official guest performer.

The young generation from Malasari village demonstrate traditional music called “Gudeg”.

Playing Gudeg is an important activity of cultural program on ecotourism project in Maasari.
Traditional culture is properly inherited by young people through generations. This is one of the positive effects by this project.

Traditional music from Marasari earned good reputation by festival participants. It seems to be contribute promotion for Ecotourism in Malasari.

　

Through such experiences, I hope more people will recognize ecotourism in Malasari Village.