Bawah Reserve, nestled in the remote Anambas Islands of Indonesia, was founded with a deep commitment to environmental preservation. From the outset, the resort was designed with an “earth-first” approach, seamlessly integrating with the pristine surroundings of its six islands, 13 beaches, three lagoons, and 100 hectares of primary rainforest.
Sustainability has been at the heart of Bawah Reserve’s mission since day one. The first phase of the resort took five years to complete, with construction carried out entirely by hand using sustainable, renewable materials like fast-growing bamboo. Local divers were enlisted to carefully protect and relocate coral during the jetty construction, ensuring minimal disruption to the natural marine environment.
Bawah Reserve’s partnership with the Anambas Foundation reflects its commitment to sustainable development:
- Recycling: Leading the way in waste management at both the resort and across the Anambas archipelago.
- Solar Energy: Providing clean, innovative energy solutions to remote island communities.
- Sustainable Food Production: Growing high-quality organic produce while offering economic opportunities in organic farming to the local community.
- Community Employment: Hiring, training, and empowering local talent to promote community development.
- Forest and Marine Conservation: Protecting the area’s most valuable natural resources, both on land and underwater.
MARINE CONSERVATION
Indonesian coral reefs, including those in the Anambas Islands, are facing coral bleaching due to rising ocean temperatures. Anambas Foundation annual Reef Health Monitoring initiative has observed small pockets of bleaching across program sites: Kiabu, Telaga, Mengkait, Sunggak and Bawah Island. As of June, NOAA’s alert placed the Riau Islands at Level two, indicating concern over continued potential bleaching and coral mortality likely due to rising sea temperatures. Bawah Reserve’s Marine Conservation team is actively involved in coral restoration efforts and conducting research on coral resilience.
TURTLE CONSERVATION
The Turtle Conservation initiative in Sunggak has successfully rescued 24,761 eggs and released 1,776 hatchlings to date. Recently, in collaboration with LKKPN Pekanbaru, a turtle tagging workshop was held for local turtle rangers. Following the workshop, participants ventured to the beach at night and tagged six turtles.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
In 2024, the Mangroves Ecoprint initiative was launched as a collaborative effort between Bawah Reserve’s Marine Conservation and Women’s Empowerment teams. The project uses mangrove-based natural dyes to create eco-print fabrics, handcrafted by local village women. The inaugural workshop took place in Air Nangak Village, with nine participants producing 18 eco-print fabrics and seven batik sheets.
Meanwhile, in Kiabu, village women have been actively fulfilling orders from Bawah Reserve for custom-made pouches and tote bags
DIGITAL ENGLISH CLUB
The Digital English Club (DEC) initiated a short internship program for high school students in Tarempa, focusing on English education across four program locations. Eleven students participated in this internship.
INTERGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT
The Integrated Waste Management (IWM) initiative has successfully prevented over 114 tons of recyclable materials from polluting the environment, with 23 tons processed through Recycling Centers. As of 2024, IWM operates across 16 locations, with plans for further expansion later this year.
PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY AT THE PADANG MELANG FESTIVAL
In June 2024, Bawah Reserve’s team took part in the Padang Melang Festival, hosted by the Anambas Department of Tourism and Culture. At the booth, Anambas Foundation showcased their conservation efforts and products crafted by local village women. They also introduced a mini–Waste Bank, where attendees could exchange plastic bottles and cups for souvenirs. The initiative successfully collected 40kg of recyclables, which were sent to the Waste Management Facility in Kuala Maras for processing.
