Citarik Ecotourism Masterplan, a holistic solution to river revitalization, was launched on 30 August
MEDIA RELEASE
The Citarik Ecotourism Masterplan provides a roadmap for transforming the Citarik watershed into a more environmentally friendly area and drive a sustainable economy for the surrounding community and industry over the next 20-30 years.
Depok, August 30th, 2023 - Monash University, in collaboration with the University of Indonesia (UI) and the West Java Provincial Government (Pemprov), launched the Citarik Ecotourism Master Plan in a hybrid ceremony on Wednesday (30/8) hosted by the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Indonesia (UI) Campus, Depok. This masterplan marks five years of the Citarum River Transformation Project, a collaborative effort between Monash Art, Design & Architecture (MADA) and the Monash Sustainable Development Institute with UI and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia. Community representatives and non-governmental organizations, local industry partners, and the global research community have lent support in conducting the activities. The master plan includes a 30-year vision and spatial planning framework in a 2.3 km section of the Citarik River flowing through two riverside villages in the upper catchment on the north side of Bandung Regency, West Java.
Attending the launch, the Governor of West Java, Ridwan Kamil, accepted the masterplan and welcomed the Citarik Ecotourism Masterplan as a milestone of an essential collaboration between government and academia in supporting environmental preservation and impactful research. “We hope that the Citarik Ecotourism Master Plan will become a guideline for all stakeholders in developing water management solutions and infrastructure that effectively sustainably support the community's livelihoods, industry, and the environment. I hope this real collaboration will inspire the community to be more proactive in preserving the Citarum watershed, including in Citarik as one of the upper catchments of Citarum River," said Governor Ridwan Kamil. Strengthening the comments of the Governor, the Head of Water Resource Office (DSDA) West Java Provincial Government, Bapak Dikky Achmad Sidik, commissioner of the landscape masterplan explained that “the masterplan aligns with government regulation and the 12 Rencana Aksi Citarum (The 12 Citarum Action Plan), with one of the objectives of the masterplan being to revitalize the river and restore oxbows in the areas.
Professor Diego Ramirez-Lovering, Project Director and director of the Informal Cities Lab at MADA, said that this collaborative action has actively contributed to providing holistic solutions in supporting the implementation of the Citarum Harum program since 2018, a revitalization program led by Governor Ridwan Kamil to restore the Citarum watershed and its tributaries from household and industrial waste contamination. "We are grateful for the support from the Government of West Java to explore river transformation strategies that are evidence-based, holistic, and designed to meet the priorities and needs of the local communities. Only by working closely with the government can we achieve our goal of abating waste leakage into the river," Professor Ramirez-Lovering said.
Furthermore, Professor Andrew MacIntyre, Pro Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash University, Indonesia, revealed how the Citarik Ecotourism Masterplan is a concrete step toward realizing the 'Change It' global campaign in Indonesia, which demonstrates Monash University's dedication to education, research, and collaboration in driving change, as stated in Impact 2030 as the University's strategic plan for the next ten years.
“Real change requires ongoing commitment and participation of all parties, including the local community, in finding holistic solutions that can be implemented and monitored together. We are grateful for the support of the West Java Provincial Government and UI in realizing this real impact," explained Professor Andrew.
The Citarik Ecotourism Masterplan was developed collaboratively with the local community and society through ongoing dialogues with academics and researchers from MADA and UI's Faculty of Engineering. The preceding activities for this project include a public consultation agenda led by UI supported by the West Java Province Water Resources Service (June-August 2023), participatory design workshops with community representatives led by Monash University and UI (July 2023), as well as extensive engagement with government agencies and local communities over the past four years, including one of the feasibility studies funded by the Study Melbourne Research Partnership (2021-2022).
Dr Reni Suwarso, Co-lead of the Citarum Action Research Program and Chair of Social Water Cluster Universitas Indonesia said, “Brick by brick, UI and Monash team have built an enviable project in revitalizing Citarum River. With the launch of Masterplan design and 3D video of the two villages that were selected as Citarum River Showcase, the real works begin. The endorsement by the Governor H.E. Ridwan Kamil is a very significant support to start the implementation through enhancing government infrastructure programs with social solutions.”
Dr Dwinanty Marthanty, Co-lead of the Citarum Action Research Program and Chair of Engineering Water Cluster, Universitas Indonesia explained that “A critical aspect of this holistic approach is to appreciate that rivers flow through land that has different uses and also ownership, so a masterplan needs to be sensitive to these factors while at the same time addressing the impacts that human activity has on the environment. Therefore, this Masterplan hold the 5 Key Landscape Elements of Ecological Corridor, namely: Waterway and riparian restoration, Forest restoration and nature‐based recreation, Productive Landscapes, Urban Biomimicry nature‐based solutions for water; and Regional flood management, water quality improvement and habitat wetlands.”
Dr Michaela Prescott, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Architecture at Monash University, who led the development of urban design of the masterplan, explains, "We recognize that creating real change starts at the community level, using self-sustaining strategies for long-term improvements. This involves collaborating to blend local wisdom and first-hand experiences with expertise from scientists, designers, NGOs, industry, and government.
Equally important is ensuring that decisions are made by those most affected—the local capacity is valued, and the project remains in Indonesian hands. The community secures the project's sustainability and enduring benefits for future generations."
Dicky Tanumihardja, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Architecture at Monash University, who also led a participatory design workshop with representatives from the two villages in developing the Citarik Ecotourism Masterplan, said that the project involved local people living in two adjacent villages in the region of Bandung Regency, namely Desa Padamukti and Cibodas Village, about 20 kilometers from the city of Bandung.
"The Citarik Ecotourism Masterplan was developed by capturing the aspirations of the local community, not only offering nature-based tourism activities along the Citarik watershed but also supporting industry and economic empowerment of the surrounding community through ongoing efforts to repair and maintain the river's ecological corridors," said Dicky.
There are five main principles of the Citarik Ecotourism Masterplan and the participatory design and implementation initiated by Monash University and Universitas Indonesia, as follows:
- Promote local economic growth by integrating water, sanitation, and waste services to support local community agriculture, horticulture, and aquaculture activities.
- Support solid waste services to villages and local agricultural industries to solve future landfill capacity shortages.
- Restore pathways and terrestrial landscapes to increase the effectiveness of flood channeling and revitalize habitat and biodiversity.
- Improve water, waste, and sanitation governance in upstream villages.
- Strengthen climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in the Citarum River basin
The Head of Desa Padamukti -Unang Rubaman- and Head of Desa Cibodas -Setiawan- witnessed the ceremony and expressed his optimism for a brighter future for his community. “Dear Governor, we report that the government and village communities have succeeded in meeting the development readiness requirements. We are ready to help the government implement master plan programs.” (English translation)
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About Monash University, Indonesia
Officially operating in October 2021, Monash University, Indonesia is a manifestation of the commitment of Monash University and the Indonesian government to create knowledge that can contribute broadly to developing Indonesia's social, technological, and economic sectors.
Monash University, Indonesia offers Master's degree courses in Public Policy and Management, Business Innovation, Data Science, Cyber Security, Public Health, Urban Design, and Ph.D. in full, along with various executive and micro-credential programs aimed at specific sectors.
Monash University, Indonesia has learning facilities according to Monash University Australia standards. It is currently opening applications for new student admissions and scholarships for studies in October 2023, which are currently open for registration.
Monash also has a proud long-term relationship with Indonesia and is a foreign university with the highest number of Indonesian graduates compared to other foreign universities. The track record of good relations between Monash and Indonesia manifests collaboration between parties such as the Herb Feith Centre, Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE), the World Mosquito Program, and the Citarum Action Research Program (CARP).
With a presence on three continents, international partnerships, and study abroad programs worldwide, Monash is Australia's largest university, ranked in the top 50 universities worldwide. Monash has a dynamic network of research and teaching locations in Australia, Italy, Malaysia, China, and India.
Alliances with the University of Warwick (UK) stand alongside international collaborations with leading universities and employers worldwide, expanding the University's global network.
For more information about the Monash University, Indonesia campus, please visit the website in this link, and information regarding academics at Monash University, Indonesia can be obtained through this link. Impact 2030, Monash University's Strategic Plan, can be accessed here.
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