15.2.3. Maintain and extend current ecosystems’ biodiversity

TPB 15: Life on Land

Unram Strengthens Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation through Forest Management, Research, and Partnerships

Mataram – University of Mataram (Unram) continues to strengthen its commitment to maintaining and enhancing ecosystems and biodiversity through direct forest management, long-term conservation research, biodiversity monitoring, and strategic partnerships. These initiatives span terrestrial and coastal ecosystems and integrate scientific research, education, community engagement, and ecosystem restoration in support of SDG 15: Life on Land.

Protecting and Enhancing Biodiversity at KHDTK Senaru

One of Unram’s most significant contributions is the long-term management of the 225-hectare Senaru Special Purpose Forest Area (KHDTK Senaru) in North Lombok. Managed as an educational forest and living laboratory, the area supports conservation, research, student learning, and community engagement while maintaining forest vegetation and the habitats associated with it.

A major focus of conservation at KHDTK Senaru is the development and protection of agarwood (Gyrinops versteegii). For nearly three decades, research led by Prof. Tri Mulyaningsih and other Unram researchers has examined agarwood from multiple perspectives, including morphology, anatomy, phytochemistry, propagation, resin induction, tissue culture, cultivation, and sustainable utilization. Rather than remaining within laboratories and academic publications, the research has been translated into cultivation training, agroforestry, forest revitalization, inoculation technologies, biofertilizer development, and community engagement.

This long-term research has also resulted in direct ecosystem action. Unram planted 2,070 agarwood trees at KHDTK Senaru with a reported survival rate of 95 percent, followed by an additional 2,125 seedlings to strengthen the agarwood area. Students participate directly in planting, replanting, weed management, tree maintenance, microbial trapping, and application of research-based biofertilizer, making KHDTK Senaru a site where conservation research is continuously translated into forest management practice.

The programme has also expanded through international collaboration with partners in France and Japan, strengthening scientific exchange and research on sustainable agarwood development. Unram has worked with Université Côte d’Azur and Japanese university partners on research and field-based initiatives at KHDTK Senaru, reinforcing the forest’s role as a platform for conservation science, education, and sustainable community investment.

Strengthening Biodiversity Science in the Lesser Sunda Region

Beyond KHDTK Senaru, Unram contributes to biodiversity conservation through systematic research on the unique biological resources of the Lesser Sunda region. Through collaboration between FMIPA Unram and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), researchers conduct studies on biodiversity and the development of reference specimens.

The collaboration strengthens biodiversity data and research capacity in biosystematics and evolution while supporting the development of specimen collections needed to understand the region’s biological diversity. The programme is designed not only to document biodiversity but also to contribute to its conservation and management.

This commitment is also embedded within Unram’s academic capacity. The Biology Study Program specifically identifies Lesser Sunda biodiversity as an area of academic expertise, while the Master’s Program in Biology includes biodiversity analysis, conservation, research, dissemination, and community service among its institutional missions.

Extending Biodiversity Conservation to Vulnerable Coastal Ecosystems

Unram’s biodiversity activities extend from terrestrial forests to ecologically important coastal environments. Through collaboration with the National University of Singapore (NUS), students and academics conduct field-based studies of mangrove biodiversity, coastal ecology, and ecosystem connectivity.

The Global Experience Course brought Unram and NUS students together to explore the ecology and biodiversity of mangrove ecosystems, while the Research Experience programme examined ecological connections between mangroves and coral reefs. The programmes integrate field observations, laboratory activities, expert lectures, and data analysis to understand ecosystem structure, function, conservation, and sustainable management. Further activities have expanded attention toward marine protected areas and threatened marine species.

Unram also works with Yayasan Pesisir Lestari through the Faculty of Agriculture to connect academic expertise with sustainable coastal-resource management. These partnerships complement Unram’s terrestrial biodiversity programmes by strengthening research, education, and community engagement in vulnerable coastal landscapes.

Connecting Science, Ecosystem Management, and Conservation

Together, these initiatives demonstrate an institutional approach in which ecosystem management, biodiversity research, restoration, education, and partnerships reinforce one another. KHDTK Senaru provides direct evidence of Unram maintaining and expanding forest vegetation and habitat through long-term management and revitalization; collaboration with BRIN strengthens scientific understanding and documentation of Lesser Sunda flora and fauna; while coastal programmes extend biodiversity education and research into mangrove and interconnected coastal ecosystems.

Through these continuing efforts, University of Mataram directly contributes to maintaining and enhancing existing ecosystems and the biodiversity they support, while developing the scientific knowledge, human capacity, and partnerships required for their long-term conservation. These actions provide tangible evidence of Unram’s contribution to SDG 15.2.3 – Maintain and Extend Current Ecosystems’ Biodiversity.

Reference:

TPB 15: Life on Land