RR.CO.ID, Jakarta - Residents of Saporkren Village, South Waigeo, Raja Ampat Regency, Southwest Papua, have developed ecotourism-based homestays and birdwatching tours. They have abandoned hunting and illegal logging, and aware of the impacts of nickel mining activities on the environment and the tourism sector.

Enggelina Dimara, also known as Mama Engge, the owner of Warimpurem Homestay, said that she used to hunt birds to sell to make ends meet. After receiving conservation assistance, she stopped hunting and started managing the homestay.

She was conveyed this at the EcoNusa Foundation's Cooperative Partners Meeting on Increasing Local Community Resilience through Sustainable Economic Development, on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

‎Birdwatching, particularly of birds of paradise is one of the main attractions of ecotourism in Saporkren Village. If a guest wants to go birdwatching, they usually contact another resident who acts as a guide.

Saporken is home to the red bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea rubra) and Wilson's bird-of-paradise (Cicinnurus respublica), among 102 other bird species. The forest surrounding the village is also home to endemic species like the Waigeo cuscus.

Magareta Morin, also known as Mama Morin, experienced a similar change. She founded the Yenkankanes Homestay in 2013. Before opening the homestay, Mama Morin's husband was a senso (woodcutter) who used a chainsaw to cut woods from the forest.

According to her, since managing the homestay, logging activities have ceased, and her family has shifted to supporting nature-based tourism. The homestay business also stimulates the local economy by purchasing fish from fishermen and vegetables from community gardens.

According to data from the Raja Ampat Regency Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), there were 42,150 tourist visits in 2025, which is an increase from 32,147 visits in 2024. Around 87 percent of these tourists were international.

Of the five nickel mining concessions that once operated in Raja Ampat, only one company remained active as of 2025: PT Gag Nikel, which operates on Gag Island and has a concession area of approximately 13,136 hectares. The government revoked the other four permits due to administrative and environmental concerns.

"When mining occurs, the sea is destroyed. If I were there, I might die tomorrow. But what about our children and grandchildren?" said Mama Engge.

She expressed belief that mining activities could cause sedimentation, leading to sea turbidity and damaging coral reefs. This would disrupt fish populations, which are a source of livelihood for fishermen and a tourist attraction. ***