Enviro News Asia, Yogyakarta — Young people in Yogyakarta are taking a more active role in protecting the Mount Merapi ecosystem through collaborative action and innovation aimed at reducing the risks posed by cold lava floods.
The Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut), through its Center for Forest Conservation Generation Development (Pusgenri) under the Agency for Human Resources Development and Extension (Badan P2SDM), together with the Yogyakarta Social Forestry Center, organized the Forest Youthverse Resilience Summit for the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) on September 18, 2026.
The summit carried the theme “Forest Guardians of Merapi: Youth in Action Against Cold Lava Floods” and encouraged young people to become active participants in ecosystem protection and disaster-risk reduction around Mount Merapi.
During the Action Day, participants learned about the condition of the Merapi slopes and the importance of ecosystem restoration in reducing ecological disaster risks. They then transformed their understanding into collaborative ideas and practical initiatives on the second day of the program.
Pusgenri Head Luckmi Purwandari said young people should have greater opportunities to contribute directly to the protection of the Merapi landscape.
“Young people have great potential to become Forest Guardians of Merapi. We are not only encouraging them to understand the ecosystem, but also equipping them to develop practical solutions and collaborative actions to address the threat of cold lava floods,” Luckmi said.
One of the innovations developed during the second day was the “Merapi Smart Tourism Board,” an information platform designed to combine tourism maps, historical information, destinations, visitor needs, animated characters, videos and QR codes linking users to digital information about Merapi.
Gayatri, a member of Genries DIY, said the initiative resulted from collaboration among participants with expertise in land management, tourism, psychology, animation and broadcasting.
She said the platform was designed not only to help visitors navigate Merapi but also to encourage them to understand its history and the importance of protecting the area.
Head of the Yogyakarta Environmental and Forestry Agency Kusno Wibowo welcomed the participants’ approach, which combines information, technology, creativity and visitor needs.
He said the initiative demonstrated how young people can introduce new perspectives to promote the Merapi area while supporting its conservation.
The Forest Youthverse Resilience Summit in Yogyakarta provided a platform for young people to move from understanding environmental challenges to developing concrete actions and innovations.
Through creativity, collaboration and solutions tailored to local challenges, the program encouraged participants to view Merapi not only as a tourism destination but also as a landscape with significant historical and ecological value that requires long-term protection. (*)
