Meity Mengdon, the green crusader

Meity Mengdon, the green crusader

Fabio Scarpello, Contributor, Bunaken, North Sulawesi

Barely known outside the country's environmentalist circle, the
petite Meity Mengdon is softly spoken, has a gentle attitude, and
a perpetual smile.

Yet, she was 27 years old when she became the first Indonesian
and the youngest person ever to receive the Seacology award.

Seacology is an American foundation that has chosen to
recognize the heroic achievements of indigenous leaders who risk
their lives and/or wellbeing to protect their island's ecosystems
and culture.

She confessed that she was surprised and a little abashed when
in November 2000 she was flown to Honolulu, Hawaii, to accept the
tribute.

"I really did not expect it, and I am not sure I fully
deserved it" she says. Despite her modesty, the prize was
rightfully given in recognition of her tireless work to save
Bunaken mangrove forests and coral reefs, while improving the
livelihood of the villagers.

Meity's strengths rest in her mediation skills that have often
bridged the gap between institutions and the villagers.

Born 31 years ago in Kumu (a small village 90 minutes from
Manado), Meity understands the locals' culture and needs. She is
also a nature lover (as well as a proven diver), and presented a
thesis on mangrove tree protection when graduating in Marine
Science at Sam Ratulagi University, Manado.

To protect the environment while involving and educating the
local people has always been her objective. "Locals have the
right to manage the park and to reap the benefits, but they also
have the responsibility for its sustainability" she says.

In this case "sustainability" has meant stopping resource-
destructive activities, like cyanide and dynamite fishing,
mangrove harvesting for charcoal production, and coral/shell
collection for the tourist curio trade.

Meity started working at the USAID-funded Natural Resources
Management (NRM) while still at University. The group coached the
management team for Bunaken National Park.

Bunaken National Park was established by the Indonesian
government in 1990 and it consists of 89,065 hectares, 97 percent
of which is ocean. It also includes some mainland coast and the
islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Siladen, Montehage and Nain.

In 1996, at the end of the NRM project -- together with other
like-minded activists -- Meity funded Kelola, an NGO concerned
with the conservation of the marine habitat. It was at this time
that she started talking about the importance of the park,
directly to the people. In 2000 she returned to NRM as a
community facilitation specialist, a position that she still
holds.

The benefits of Meity's (and her colleagues) work has not gone
unnoticed, and in 2003 Bunaken National Marine Park won the
British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow award. On this occasion, the
management was praised for improving the livelihood of the 30,000
residents, while successfully ending coral mining,
dynamite/cyanide fishing, and the destruction of mangroves.

"We couldn't ask residents to give up their practices without
offering valid alternatives, and today -- thanks to the
development of the park -- people can find jobs as park rangers
or within the tourism industry. Fishing can still be practiced
with nets or long lens (500 metres from the coral) and seaweed
farming is growing in importance. Also, subsidies have been put
in place to help those that have lost their main source of
income," Meity adds.

Developing a national park is always difficult with several
groups having different interests and ideas on how the park
should be developed. In Indonesia, the groups involved include
the Ministry of Forestry, the local government and the people
living in the area.

"It has been a difficult to get them to pull in the same
direction. The establishment of the National Park Community
Concerned Forum (FMPTB) and of the National Park Management
Advisory Board (DPTND) has really helped" Meity says. She then
explains "The FMPTB is a forum where the representatives of the
30 villages meet once every two months, and the DPTND is
collaborative body consisting of 15 seats, filled by
representatives of the government, community, university and
NGOs".

From among the important developments in the last few years
Meity names the NRM's zoning of the park and the setting up of
the joint patrol system.

"Maps, brochure, leaflets and calendars have been given to
residents and tourist's places alike. In these, the park is
dotted with three different colors that indicate what is
permitted in the area. So for example, the red areas are off-
limits for everything (fishing, snorkeling, anchoring and so on),
while the blue areas are designed for tourist use, and the green
areas for the community," Meity explains.

"The patrolling of the park is a big problem. Rangers are not
doing what they should, and the park is often left unattended.
The setting up of the joint patrol with residents in 2001 has
improved the situation, but there is still a long way to go,"
Meity adds pointing the finger at the Ministry of Forestry.

Manado's solid waste disposal is another pressing problem, and
the way the DPTND tackles it frustrates Meity. "They have no
concept of the seriousness of the issue that if it is not tackled
soon, it could mark the end of the park. The DPTND allocates part
of the tourists' entrance fee to it, but this is not adequate,
and much greater government intervention is needed".

Meity's frustration grows as she appeals to politicians --
campaigning for the forthcoming election -- to maintain an
ethical approach. "I do not want to generalize but some, in order
to get votes are promising immediate benefits to citizens that
contravene all we have fought for in the past few years. For
example, Lean beach in Bunaken is a no-fishing zone and some have
promised to reopen it if elected!"

She leaves sighing: "I wish there was better environmental
awareness in Indonesia....."