Tulaun, on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, is a coastal village made up of 40 families. Along with nearby 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. Instead of collecting the eggs or hunting nesting adults, they have protected and monitored the nests. They would like to further this commitment by turning their entire length of beach (two miles long) into a permanent official no-take zone.
In return for creation of the no-take zone, Seacology, with the assistance of local organization Yayasan Tri Prasetya, will fund improvements to the village freshwater system, three public toilets, and improvements to the village access road.