Education, Conservation & Recognition
Eco-tourism is not just putting a solar panel on your roof and applying other environment friendly techniques. It is a continuous process of learning, with trial and error. Over the last 23 years we tried to develop a way of working that directly benefits the local people around us in the short and long term.
More and more, we have been able to offer education, training on the job and career-planning. By purchasing as many local materials and local labor as possible, we contributed directly to the local economy. We have always been very aware not to disturb the local traditions and way of living, while trying to improve the daily living conditions of the people at the same time.
Whenever possible, we work together with other stakeholders such as the media, the Local and National Government, private companies and NGO ‘s to actively protect the environment and conserve the nature.
In 2011 we started our Sawai Eco Tourism Foundation to have a legal body for our education and nature conservation projects. Our foundation is still continuing its educational initiatives and kindergarten programs!
Though, unfortunately we lost the domain and website for the Sawai-Ecotourism Foundation. Fortunately, however! The website for Sawai-Ecotourism was partially preserved by the Internet Archive, and you can still view it on this link: web.archive.org/web/20130703020430/http://www.sawai-ecotourism.com/
Education foundation & Kindergartens
The Sawai foundation was founded by Rob & Linda in 2012 at Halmahera with our first school opening at the village of Sawai Itepo. Rob & Linda started the foundation at Sawai since the village had no education and most of the adults and their children were unable to read and write.
Later on Linda opened another school in Posi-Posi Rao at 2015 since there were no kindergartens there, and it was also the village where Linda came from. Then in 2016 TK Adindah at Bitung was founded as Indah was born, and we wanted a Kindergarten where Indah could go to, and also for the children of our staff and neighbors.
Thanks to our Sawai Eco Tourism foundation we run 3 Kindergartens! With Linda being the head of the education foundations and constantly maintaining & organizing our kindergartens!
- Paud Sawai-Eko Wisata Central Halmahera Weda-Bay.
- Paud Rao Indah in North Halmahera, Morotai, Rao Island.
- TK Adinda, Kelompok Bermain Halona Indah and an English course in Bitung.
The schools of Sawai-Ecotourism Foundation
Mangrove Planting and Restoration
We’ve planted 950 Mangrove trees around the resort! Our first project began on October 2025, where we planted 250 trees within Walenekoko Lagoon with the Dinas Lingkungan Hidup (Bitung’s Environments office). With the success of our first project, we conducted another series of planting with 500 trees on June 2026, with the school of Walenekoko and the DLH office together. Currently we’re actively working on maintaining the mangrove we’ve planted, and since July 2026 we’ve purchased 200 more Mangrove Saplings to plant on our beachfront facing the house-reef.
Collage of the mangrove planting that took place at June 12th, 2026
The Kalpataru Award for Reforestation & Garbage cleaning
Rob received the Kalpataru thanks to the reforestation projects at Lembeh, Batu Angus, and at Kasawari! Our efforts in Lembeh resulted in our present Nature Preserve, that is currently a habitat for a number of species of birds, monitor lizards, tarsiers, and even civet cats.
At the left, the situation when we came here. The right image shows how it looks now. Unfortunately the location of the resort was not visible yet in the data of 2002. That part was completely barren when we started. But it shows on the recent image.
Divers Lodge Lembeh is always on the “green side” participating in the Cleaning up Lembeh Strait program held by the city council of Bitung, and quickly reports to the responsible officials if there is any industrial pollution in the area. Thanks to the government of Bitung for their successful program of “Healthy Life & Environmentally friendly”, everyone can now see that the city has become much cleaner than before and there is considerably less trash in the water.
Rob was nominated to receive the national award for protection and conservation of the environment: Kalpataru at 2010.
The Kalpataru is the highest award from the Indonesian government to individuals or groups who have made extraordinary contributions to environmental and forestry conservation. Previously he also received the Kalpataru of the North Sulawesi at 2009.
Moorings for dive boats and local fishing boats
We installed moorings in Lembeh Strait since 2003. Starting 2007, Rob invented a better way to make a stronger buoy with low cost. Rob then start making some buoy and installed them at several dive sites. This project was quite successful and dive boats and local traditional fishing boat used the moorings often. Now, there are at least 30 moorings installed all along Lembeh Strait and all are well used and maintained.
Installation of the moorings
Stopping illegal fishing/fish trading
This illegal fish trading case occurred in 2007. On the way back home, in the harbour, our staff noticed a car fully loaded with plastic bags. Our dive guides then realized that those plastic bags were actually filled with fish ready to transfer somewhere else. Andris, one of our dive guides, immediately contacted Rob, whom then contacted the local authorities. The local police managed to arrive just in time and get all the fish onto the boat of Divers Lodge Lembeh. We released them back to the sea together. Since then we haven’t heard of a similar case.
The Pahlawan Indonesia Award for the Conservation forests at Weda-Bay
In Weda-Bay, Central Halmahera, we conserve 800 hectares of forests! Originally areas designated for farming, we bought these forests with the income of Weda Resort because of it’s density in endemic bird-life, ancient karst formations, dense rainforests, lizards, insects, and most importantly to prevent logging at these forests.
Short documentary In Indonesian by DAAI TV about the forests of Halmahera
We attempt to ensure that the forests remain undisturbed, however, until 2026 we’ve gotten into a lot of difficulties in doing this due to illegal logging, poaching, land claims, and also the plans for the industry to expand within our protected forests. We’re very actively dealing with these matter with the proper authorities. You can follow recent developments on our website for Weda Resort! At wedaresort.com
Rob receiving the “Pahlawan untuk Indonesia Award” from the Minister of Environment at 2013, for our conservation efforts at Halmahera.
Featuring on Kick Andy
Rob was featured on Kick Andy to talk about his experiences with Indonesia, Sulawesi, Halmahera and why he became Indonesian citizen. Kick Andy is an inspirational talk show on MetroTV hosted by Andy F. Noya, focusing on highlighting inspiring human stories, life struggles, and the rarely revealed side of humanity
Inaugurated as Kepala Lingkungan
Rob was officially inaugurated by the Mayor of Bitung as “Pala” – Kepala Lingkungan after receiving the Kalpataru. The Pala or Head of the Environment is a partner of the sub-district government who acts as an extension of the city government in maintaining, preserving community values, and managing the administration of residents. Rob was given a broader task to look after the environment of the whole Lembeh Strait/Island.
Sustainable Resort
We personally source our own water and power supply. We have two fresh water wells that we maintain ourselves. With the well’s large supply and our water pump installation, we provide constant water at the resort and the village of Walenekoko. For our power supply we use solar panels and batteries for power storage. Unfortunately for A/C units and to run our air-compressor we still need to use a diesel generator.
