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Indonesia

Tulaun

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Conservation benefit: Creation of a permanent 30-acre no-take sea turtle nesting beach

Community benefit: Freshwater supply, public toilets and access road

Date Approved: 06.2006

Ocean

This project protects ocean ecosystems, making coastal communities more economically and physically secure in the face of climate change.

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.

Project Updates

June 2008

In the past year a few incidents of nest vandalism occurred during times when the village had to suspend monitoring either because of bad weather or because of extra work during fishing and farming seasons. In spite of this challenge, nest monitoring continues. In mid to late 2007, 1,720 green or hawksbill turtle hatchlings were recorded, and 1,500 olive ridley turtle hatchlings were recorded in early 2008. A documentary about the turtle nesting beaches in Tulaun was aired on national television in April 2008.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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