Strengthening Community Outreach Capacity of MPA Managers from North Sulawesi and North Maluku

Twenty-four marine protected area (MPA) managers from North Sulawesi and North Maluku recently completed an intensive four-day training that strengthened their skills in engaging coastal communities in marine conservation. Coral Triangle Center (CTC), in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), delivered the Training on Community Outreach for Marine and Coastal Resources (Pelatihan Penyadartahuan Masyarakat Mengenai Sumber Daya Laut dan Pesisir) from November 17-20, 2025, at The Sentra Hotel in Manado.

The training consisted of three days of interactive classroom sessions, including lectures, group assignments, role-playing exercises, and case studies based on participants’ own conservation areas, followed by a fourth day of field practice in Budo Village within the North Minasa MPA. During the field component, participants conducted an outreach event simulation with 25 community members, bridging the gap between theory and practice, and building their confidence in implementing outreach strategies in their own communities.

Participants are also trained in public speaking, problem tree identification, meeting organization, participation ladder, empathy mapping, stakeholder identification, and developing community group work plans. They also practiced preparing activity reports—an essential skill for documenting and sharing their conservation work.

The 2020-2024 evaluation of conservation area management identified several limitations affecting its effectiveness, including limited human resources, insufficient technical competence among managers, and funding and infrastructure constraints across Indonesia’s marine protected areas. By strengthening these frontline conservation practitioners, the program supports Indonesia’s goal of achieving 30% marine conservation by 2045. Dr. Tianneke Adam, M.Si, Head of the Marine and Fisheries Department of South Sulawesi Province, emphasized its importance for supporting conservation area management at the site level and improving management effectiveness scores in his opening speech.

Participants represented various agencies, including the Marine and Fisheries Department (DKP), MPA Management Units (UPTD), and non-government organizations across North Sulawesi and North Maluku. These managers oversee MPAs with high biodiversity and significant socio-economic value to coastal communities, where effective community engagement is essential for conservation success.

Beyond immediate skill-building, the training prepared participants for professional certification through a competency assessment organized by LSP KJK on November 21, 2025. Of the 24 participants, 23 met attendance requirements and received training certificates, positioning them to achieve formal recognition of their conservation outreach competencies.

This training was the second of two training packages provided to MPA managers in North Sulawesi and North Maluku, following an earlier session on principles of marine protected areas. Through this partnership with WCS, CTC continues strengthening the skills of conservation practitioners protecting Indonesia’s vital marine ecosystems.

Writer: Jaling Sim
Photos: Wienda Ardiyani/CTC, Brook Peterson/Ocean Image Bank