Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — The Center for Forest Conservation Youth Development (Pusgenri) under the Human Resources Extension and Development Agency of Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry, in collaboration with Green Generation Indonesia, successfully organized the Forest Youthverse Summit 2026 under the theme “Biodiversity Action Camp: Youth Initiatives in Biodiversity Conservation” from 14–17 May 2026 on Pramuka Island, Thousand Islands.
The event served as a collaborative platform for young people, forestry and environmental practitioners, government institutions, communities, and technology sectors to learn, exchange ideas, build networks, and undertake concrete actions for marine and coastal biodiversity conservation.
The Forest Youthverse Summit was designed as a collaborative ecosystem connecting youth creativity with field experience and real conservation initiatives.
A total of 70 members of Indonesia’s Forest Conservation Youth community, known as Genries, from various regions across the country participated in the four-day program built around the approach of Connect – Explore – Create – Impact. The framework encouraged participants to develop emotional connections with nature, learn directly from environmental practitioners, design innovative solutions, and implement concrete conservation actions.
Head of the Center for Forest Conservation Youth Development, Luckmi Purwandari, emphasized that the Forest Youthverse Summit was not merely a youth camp, but a transformative learning platform aimed at strengthening youth leadership in forest and biodiversity conservation.
“Young people should not merely become spectators in forestry and environmental issues. They must become agents of change who deliver solutions, build collaboration, and create real actions to protect the future of Indonesia’s forests and biodiversity,” she stated.
The summit began with a Connection Circle session aimed at fostering collaboration, solidarity, and a sense of shared purpose among participants as the foundation for a youth conservation ecosystem.
On the second day, participants joined the Green Generation Ceremony and an interactive talk show themed “Biodiversity is Us”, featuring representatives from the Thousand Islands National Park Agency, INSPIRIT, and the Jakarta Natural Resources Conservation Agency. Discussions focused on the importance of youth participation in biodiversity protection efforts.
The event also featured a Pitching Collaboration session involving 23 youth innovation groups presenting creative ideas related to conservation, environmental education, green technology, and waste management before a panel of experts and practitioners.
The third day highlighted direct field action through activities such as Mangrove Action, Coral Reef Education, Sea Turtle Release, and Literacy & Waste Tour. Participants conducted mangrove planting, learned coral reef transplantation techniques, released sea turtle hatchlings, and studied environmental literacy and waste management systems on Pramuka Island.
Beyond strengthening participants’ understanding of forest conservation, the summit aimed to transform their mindset from passive observers into Biodiversity Innovators capable of initiating positive environmental solutions within their communities.
The program concluded with Deep Reflection and Declaration & Closing sessions, where participants shared reflections and reaffirmed their collective commitment to continue supporting biodiversity conservation efforts after the summit.
Through Forest Youthverse Summit 2026, Pusgenri hopes to foster a new generation of environmentally conscious youth who are not only concerned about forest preservation but are also capable of driving change through innovation, creativity, collaboration, and real action in support of Indonesia’s forests and biodiversity. (*)
