The world has woken up to the realisation that oceans are not dumping grounds. While some call for plastic bans and government regulations, Wakatobi has been leading the cleanup revolution since 1995
By Walt Stearns
More than twenty-five years ago, Wakatobi’s founder, Lorenz Mäder, established a community-based conservation program that provides proactive protection for some 20 kilometres of coral reef and many social benefits to the local villages.
This initiative has helped restore and maintain these reefs in near-pristine condition by eliminating destructive fishing practices, anchor damage and other human impacts. Wakatobi’s efforts do not stop at the waterline, however – Mäder and the team are committed to not only protecting the reefs, but also to keeping the waters, beaches, and islands free of litter and waste by engaging the local community through a variety of hands-on projects as part of its Wakatobi Collaborative Reef Conservation Program.
Wakatobi has established its own recycling station at the resort, and actively works to reduce the use of disposable plastic items in all phases of its operation. Guests are provided with reusable aluminium water containers to eliminate the use of plastic, and the staff engages in ongoing debris removal efforts to combat the problem of plastic waste carried by ocean currents.
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Sometimes, up to four times a day, the Wakatobi team cleans a kilometre or more of the surrounding beach, removing plastics and any other debris that may wash ashore. The dive team collects any trash and debris that may be found on the reefs while other team members operating taxi boats or other tasks assisting snorkelers and divers make similar efforts to keep the shallow reef tops clean.
Wakatobi’s commitments to environmental protection and cleanup go far beyond the resort boundaries. The resort sponsors weekly village cleanups that involve up to 100 local residents of the village of Lamanggau, and works closely with the communities and governments on the issues of waste management. Wakatobi provides waste bins, organizes waste collection vehicles, and sponsors additional waste storage and removal mediums for the adjacent island of Tomia, where Wakatobi’s private airstrip is located.
To enhance local awareness of the issues and promote sustainable practices, the resort pays a team of well-respected community leaders and influential individuals, who use their social status as spokespersons within the community to increase awareness of the issues of reef conservation and waste management.
Mäder and the entire Wakatobi team remain personally committed to the issues of waste management and water quality. ‘In my voluntary function as an eco-tourism consultant I have had countless discussions with ministers, governors and other high-ranking politicians and policymakers,’ he says. ‘I always urge them to improve nationwide waste management on land and on boats.’
As coastal communities around the world increasingly come to terms with the urgent need for more responsible waste management practices, and the equally important need for the control and removal of debris already polluting our oceans, community-based programs such as those initiated by Wakatobi Dive Resort may emerge as one for the best solutions to the issue.
You can read more about the Wakatobi Collaborative Reef Conservation Program at www.wakatobi.com/about-us/conservation
