Turtle conservation group in Jembrana, Bali wins Kalpataru Lestari award

The Kurma Asih Turtle Conservation Group in Jembrana Regency, Bali, has received the Kalpataru Lestari award, complementing the Kalpataru award they received in 2017. “In 2017 we received the Kalpataru award, and this year we received the Kalpataru Lestari. These two awards further motivate us to conserve sea turtles,” said Kurma Asih Turtle Conservation Group Chairman I Wayan Anom Astika Jaya via telephone in Jembrana, Bali, on Thursday. He stated that the award was presented by Environment Minister Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat in conjunction with World Environment Day and the International Environmental Technology Exhibition (INVIROTECH 2026) in Jakarta. According to him, the prestigious awards for the group located in Perancak Village, Jembrana District, are thanks to an unbroken commitment to saving and conserving sea turtles. Since its founding in 1997, the group has been actively rescuing, conserving by hatching and releasing hatchlings into the sea, and educating the public. He said the group was founded out of concern over the hunting of sea turtles and their eggs. Through consistency, the group has succeeded in changing the mindset and behaviour of people who were originally hunters into protectors of the protected species. “We will not tire of inviting people to save marine habitats, including protecting the environment to create a healthy ecosystem for marine animals, especially turtles. Globally, a preserved environment will guarantee the survival of all creatures,” he said.