INDONESIA, Tulaun Village, North Sulawesi - June 2006
Fresh water supply, public toilets and access road in exchange for the creation of a permanent 30-acre no-take sea turtle nesting beach
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Tulaun is a coastal village made up of 40 families. Along with neighboring Tulap and Ranawangko villages, Tulaun owns part of an extensive strip of beach that is critical nesting grounds for four species of endangered sea turtles: Olive Ridley, Green, Hawksbill and Leatherback. The villagers have shown genuine interest and concern for turtles by protecting and monitoring nests rather than collecting the eggs and killing the nesting turtles. They would like to further this commitment by turning their entire length of beach (2 miles long) into a permanent official no-take zone. In return for creating a no-take zone, with the assistance of local organization Yayasan Tri Prasetya, Seacology will fund improvements to the village fresh water system, three public toilets and improvements to the village access road. *
UPDATE January 2007 - As part of the first phase of the project, the village connected 1,800 meters of pipe from their fresh water source (their river) to two collection and two distribution tanks. The water is currently being used by villagers. They plan to build the public washrooms and bathing facilities as the second phase of the project in early 2007. They are also currently discussing the possibility of constructing a turtle guard post on the beach.
UPDATE June 2007 - Three public washrooms and bathing facilities were constructed and completed in February, 2007. In early 2007 Tulaun and Ranawango Village members formed a collaborative committee to manage and maintain the infrastructure at both villages. The final phase of building an access road is scheduled for April and May 2007.
UPDATE January 2008 - All construction was completed in mid-2007 and a final report was received via field representative Arnaz Mehta. Tulaun and Ranawango Village members formed a collaborative committee to manage and maintain the infrastructure at both villages and a volunteer village monitoring group comprised of 9 men and 23 youth patrol the beach on a daily basis to protect turtles and turtle eggs. A prominent sign is now posted on the beach stating the legal protected status of turtles and that the beach is a protected area.
*Support for asterisked projects is provided fully or in part by the
Nu
Skin Enterprises Force for Good Foundation
