Impactful Campus: Udayana University Biology Students Develop Biodiversity-Based Conservation Educational Tourism in Tengkudak Village
Tabanan – As part of the Impactful Campus Program, students from the Biology Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Udayana University, implemented the Village Development Program in Tengkudak Village, Penebel District, Tabanan Regency. The four-month program, from March to July 2026, focused on transforming biodiversity potential as a means of education, conservation, and community empowerment.
Tengkudak Village, specifically Banjar Tingkih Kerep, is a strategic development area for the Biology Study Program at Udayana University, which was established in 2023. This year, 10 Biology students from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Udayana University, led by I Gusti Ayu Made Purnama Shanti, with the guidance of Field Supervisor I Made Saka Wijaya, S.Si., M.Sc., developed various conservation-based programs to increase community capacity and strengthen the village’s educational tourism potential.
The students developed three main programs. The first program involved the development of a approximately two-kilometer nature tracking trail, equipped with directional maps and biodiversity information boards. This trail provides an educational tourism experience with several wildlife observation points, including the black-rumped shama (white-rumped shama), the Javan kingfisher (Kingfish), and the Balinese owl (Curly-rumped Shama), which has become a conservation icon in the area.
The second program focused on developing the community’s creative economy through mentoring in the production of local souvenirs made from preserved resin using native plants from the village. In addition to production training, the community was also provided with assistance in marketing their products, ensuring they could become a source of added economic value for the local community.
Meanwhile, the third program is realized through the development of digital-based educational tools in the form of biodiversity information boards integrated with links to the official website of the Udayana University Biology Study Program. Through this facility, visitors can access more comprehensive and interactive scientific information about the various species found in the area.
The existence of these various facilities is expected to complement and strengthen the development of conservation-based educational tourism that has been developing in Tengkudak Village, particularly in the Kampoeng Jalak Bali area. This conservation destination has become a popular destination for tourists, academics, and researchers since 2024. With the support of student-developed programs, the educational tourism experience in the area has become more integrated, informative, and sustainable.
The successful implementation of the Village Development Program is inseparable from the synergy of various parties. Full support is provided by the Tengkudak Village Government, village officials, and the Head of Banjar Tingkih Kerep, who actively involves the community in every stage of the activity. Collaboration is also established with Friends of Nature, People, and Forest (FNPF), the organization that initiated the Bali Myna release program in the area.
From an academic perspective, Udayana University, through its Biology Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), provides ongoing mentoring and support throughout the program. Through this Impactful Campus Program, students not only implement the knowledge they gain in college but also contribute significantly to environmental preservation, strengthening conservation education, and empowering the village economy.
This program demonstrates that biodiversity not only has ecological value but can also be developed into an educational and economic asset that supports community independence and sustainable village development.