Rolex Champions The Future Of Bali's Marine Life
The watchmaker supports Bali locals in restoring coral reefs and conserving the iconic underwater landscapes of Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area.
For almost a century, Rolex has been supporting trailblazing explorers. It started by promoting exploration for the sake of discovery, but shifted its focus to protecting the planet by supporting those that use science to understand and address environmental challenges in a multitude of ways.
To reinforce its commitment, Rolex launched the Perpetual Planet Initiative in 2019, which initially had three areas of focus: the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, which recognises individuals who contribute to a better world; climate research via a long‐standing partnership with the National Geographic Society; and ocean conservation with Mission Blue, which was founded by the legendary oceanographer and Rolex Testimonee Sylvia Earle.
Djohani and Sanjaya (pictured left and right respectively) are helping the people of the Nusa Penida MPA balance ecology, culture and the economy to protect their marine ecosystems, showcasing how successful ocean conservation works in harmony with local communities and tourism.
Today, the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative has more than 20 partners, supporting efforts ranging from the restoration of the South American landscapes (with the non‐profit organisations Rewilding Argentina and Rewilding Chile) to conservation photography (with Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen). More individuals and organisations that are helping to preserve our natural world continue to be added to its portfolio. Among the latest: Rili Djohani and Wira Sanjaya of the Coral Triangle Center – or CTC, for short – in Bali, Indonesia.
Co‐founded in 2010 by ecologist Djohani, with Sanjaya as project manager, the CTC looks after the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area (MPA), which comprises the majestic waters surrounding the Balinese islands of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan. Spanning 20,057 hectares within the Coral Triangle – a region known for its rich marine life – it is home to about 570 species of reef fish, including manta rays and ocean sunfish, as well as nearly 300 coral species, which represents more than 76 per cent of all known coral species. This thriving biodiversity has naturally made the Nusa Penida MPA a tourist hotspot, drawing thousands of visitors each year. Around 48,000 residents are also dependent on this marine ecosystem for their livelihoods.
The traditional practice of seaweed farming has been rekindled as part of the CTC’s efforts to foster sustainable livelihoods for the residents of the Nusa Penida MPA while protecting its marine ecosystems, ensuring that they can live harmoniously with their environment.
Djohani has long been aware that the CTC’s protective measures can work only if the inhabitants of the three Balinese islands can live sustainably and are actively engaged in the guardianship efforts. Much of what it does is thus centred on not just supporting their livelihoods and food security, but also running outreach programmes and conservation training. One of its key projects is the rehabilitation of mangrove forests that had been cut for timbre. In educating the local communities about the benefits of mangrove trees in boosting biodiversity, mitigating the effects of rising sea levels and driving eco‐tourism, the CTC has successfully encouraged them to plant more than 10,000 seedlings.
Knowing that marine conservation needs to be ingrained into local culture for it to last and should start early, Djohani and team have also engaged youth groups on the islands in a coral reef restoration project. It’s a particularly dear endeavour as the reefs of Nusa Penida not only boast exceptional biodiversity, but have also been found to be especially resilient against warming waters and climate change, offering potentially valuable insight into how coral ecosystems might adapt to future environmental changes. To this end, the CTC and its volunteers have installed more than 400 linked structures on the ocean floor that act as a support bed to encourage new coral growth, as well as transplanted 6,000 coral fragments, covering 240 square metres of damaged reef.
CTC member Evi Nurul Ihsan cleaning a structure previously planted within damaged or degraded coral reefs to aid restoration and regrowth – a method that has increased the coral cover in the restored areas from five to 70 per cent in just three years.
The CTC even approaches marine protection from a cultural angle, turning to the traditional Indonesian art form of wayang, or shadow puppetry, to create an ocean‐themed performance with beautifully crafted puppets. In tapping a medium long used in local culture to tell stories and moral lessons, the CTC spreads its message of caring for the Nusa Penida MPA to both adults and children in an accessible way.
For all of its efforts and success, the CTC was recognised by Mission Blue in 2020, with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative partner designating the Nusa Penida MPA a Hope Spot – an area of vital marine biodiversity – and naming Djohani and Sanjaya as Hope Spot Champions. Rolex and Mission Blue are supporting the duo in raising awareness about the Nusa Penida MPA and helping the Indonesian government in its goal to protect 30 per cent of its waters – that’s approximately a whopping 97.5 million hectares – by 2045. Says Djohani: “It’s so important to have local people included in the management and benefits of this Hope Spot, so no one is left behind.”
This article first appeared in the December 2024 Food Edition of FEMALE