T

hree high school student groups won a competition out of 112 teams from across the nation in the 5th Young Innovation Contest with proposals to develop eco-tourism in their respective hometowns.

On Saturday, the contest organizer, Indonesia Institute of Sciences (LIPI) named Ni Wayan Surya Darmayanti, AA Pillar Dy Kusuma and AA Istri Intan Yuniari from state high school SMAN 4 Denpasar, Bali, as the first winners of the contest.

The team highlighted the synergy between local people and tourists in preserving the coral reef ecosystem at Pemuteran village, Singaraja, Bali.

The team said the local people, with their long-rooted traditions like puppet play, could have an important role in preserving local reefs, while the tourists might contribute to the environment through coral reef revitalization program using Biorock, a widely known method to grow coral reef using mineral and electric current.  

A Makassar high school team won second prize with their idea to develop tourism on little-known Gusung Island, South Sulawesi.

Geby Oktavia Sari, Fitriyah Dewi Haramaeni and Muh. Amran Permana Putra R. from  SMAN 11 Makasar senior high school propose to develop educational tourism.  

“Education about coral reef conservation would be an added value for tourism on the island,” Geby said. She said young people would be the main target of the tourism package.

This was expected to bring local people economic and social benefits.  

Geby said the government should help the island by building infrastructure like piers and toilets.

A team from Wakatobi regency which recently became famous for its coastal beauty, came in third, also with an eco-tourism concept.

Dewi Sartika, Nining Hariani Ode, and Hasdiman Aludin from SMAN 1 Wangi-Wangi, Wakatobi, proposed to develop Hoga Island in Kaledupa district in Southeast Sulawesi.  

Suharsono, the chairman of Oceanograhy Research Center at the institute, said the jury evaluated the papers on originality, the extent of research into the problems, and the way ideas were presented.

Suharsono said the contest was aimed at raising young people’s awareness to use what was available in their environment, to do their best to help preserve nature.

“Coral reefs are the entry point for us to invite them to love the seas,” he said.

LIPI’s data shows that most of the coral reef ecosystems in the country are damaged with only around 30 percent of the total being in a very good or good condition. (lnd)