Resilience Thinking Approach to Protect Marine Biodiversity in Small Islands: A Case of Gili Trawangan, Indonesia

Abstract

This paper examines the resilience thinking approach to protect marine biodiversity in small islands with the case of Gili Trawangan, Indonesia, which is part of a marine protected area. The rapid development of the world’s tourism industry, the monetary crisis in 1997, national reforms in 1998, global warming, and the irresponsibility of local governments to enforce formal rules on marine resources, have had a tremendous impact on marine biodiversity on small islands like Gili Trawangan. This study uses a qualitative method, including stakeholder interviews, participant observation, stakeholder mapping, and local document collection. The collaborative effort that was built by local residents with foreign businesspersons, academics, non-governmental organizations, and the village government of Gili Indah, started in 2001 was intended to protect the marine ecosystem on Gili Trawangan from destructive fishing practices, to prevent the further degradation of marine biodiversity on the islands. Results of this study found several collaborative work initiatives in Gili Trawangan to meet the challenges, e.g., the institutionalization of customary law called “Awig-Awig” to regulate coral reef activities, enforcement of regulations on marine biodiversity such as coral reefs, strengthening institutional capacity, and restoring the degraded coral reefs ecosystem.