Welcoming Yayasan Ulin and Herping Activity with Omah Notoplankton
Sleman, April 22, 2025
One of KONKLUSI’s missions to involves various parties and communities in collaboration in conservation efforts. To support this mission, KONKLUSI has established strong relationships with several partners in conservation activities. Two of them are Yayasan Ulin and Omah Notoplankton.
Yayasan Ulin and MAPFLOFA Fahutan Mulawarman University
Yayasan Ulin is an NGO focused on environmental preservation in East Kalimantan, with one of their conservation efforts being the protection of habitats for the Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis). In 2021, KONKLUSI collaborated with Yayasan Ulin on the project “Research on the Remaining Siamese Crocodile Population, Critically Endangered in East Kalimantan, Using e-DNA (Environmental DNA) and Drones.” To this day, KONKLUSI maintains a good relationship with Yayasan Ulin and welcomed them to Yogyakarta to network with conservationists and attend seminars and workshops at the Faculty of Biology, Gadjah Mada University. The Yayasan Ulin team included Brian (Field Director) and students from the MAPFLOFA Fahutan Mulawarman University.
Omah Notoplankton As an Environmental Community
We introduced the Yayasan Ulin team to Omah Notoplankton, a community focused on environmental conservation, particularly in preserving spring water sources and biodiversity in the Tempel district, Sleman. One of their activities is planting trees around the Krasak River to mitigate the negative impacts of illegal and exploitative sand mining in the Mount Merapi area. In addition to disaster risks such as landslides, riverbank erosion, and changes in river flow patterns, exploitative sand mining also reduces biodiversity (Salsabil, Wibowo, & Rahayu, 2024). Omah Notoplankton also helped KONKLUSI to conduct a serial test of a water trap camera named NewtCam, they welcomed us to install NewtCam to test the Camera Trap specifically for Amphibians in Notoplankton area.
Our Herping results at Krasak River
That afternoon, the Yayasan Ulin team and Omah Notoplankton exchanged stories about their conservation activities. The Yayasan Ulin team was interested in conducting herping in the Sleman area to explore the biodiversity of the Krasak River region. Herping activities not only inventory biodiversity and monitor populations & habitats, but also help detect environmental threats.
Our herping activity started at 7:40 PM WIB, guided by Mas Boni from Omah Notoplankton to the Krasak River near the Krasak Kembang Dam. The herping session yielded several species, including the Stone Frog (Limnonectes macrodon), Pond Frog (Chalcorana chalconota), Vine Snake (Dendrelaphis pictus), Green Vine Snake (Ahaetulla prasina), and a Green Chameleon from the genus Bronchocela.
The collaboration between Yayasan Ulin, Omah Notoplankton, and KONKLUSI highlights the power of partnerships in advancing conservation efforts. By sharing knowledge, conducting joint activities, and strengthening networks, we can contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and the protection of vital ecosystems. This visit not only deepens our understanding of the region’s environmental challenges but also fosters a stronger commitment to creating sustainable solutions. We look forward to more meaningful collaborations and actions that will help safeguard nature for future generations.