Our Strategy and Actions

​

To achieve this, we are combining science, community engagement, and habitat protection in a step-by-step approach:

​

• Habitat Protection and Restoration – Securing and legally protecting key peat swamp areas to create safe, no-take zones, followed by reforestation and water quality restoration where needed.
   

• Scientific Monitoring – Mapping all known habitats, tracking water quality, and monitoring populations to better understand their health and trends over time.
   

• Community Engagement – Training and employing local residents as “civil scientists,” teaching safe fishing practices, and creating alternative, sustainable income opportunities.
   

• Education and Awareness – Partnering with schools and youth groups to build local pride and understanding of the wetlands, while sharing stories globally to raise awareness and support.​

​

• Ex-situ Breeding Program – Establishing controlled breeding facilities to ensure a genetically diverse backup population that could help with future reintroduction or reinforcement of wild populations.

 

A Long-Term Vision

​

This project is envisioned as a 25-year commitment to safeguard Parosphromenus phoenicurus and the fragile blackwater ecosystems it inhabits. In the first years, our focus is on field research and habitat mapping, building solid baseline data on populations, distribution, and ecological conditions. Equally important is working closely with local communities, listening, sharing knowledge, and building trust to ensure conservation efforts benefit both people and nature.

​

As the project develops, the next phases will aim to secure critical habitats, either through land purchase or community agreements, and restore degraded areas where peatlands and swamps have been damaged. We will also develop monitoring protocols that are both scientifically robust and simple enough for trained local partners to implement, ensuring long-term data collection even when researchers are not on site.

​

Education and awareness will be another cornerstone of our work. By training and employing local residents, offering sustainable livelihood alternatives  and collaborating with universities and conservation experts, we aim to create a network of informed stakeholders who value and actively protect these ecosystems.

 

Over time, our goal is to replicate this model in other regions, protecting additional Parosphromenus populations and other endangered blackwater species. Through consistent effort, science-driven action, and community partnerships, we aim to build a sustainable, scalable framework for the long-term protection of Indonesia’s unique freshwater biodiversity.

​​

​

Why It Matters

​

Saving P. phoenicurus means protecting far more than a single fish, it means safeguarding an entire peat swamp ecosystem. These wetlands regulate water flows, prevent erosion, and store massive amounts of carbon, making them vital in the fight against climate change. They also provide resources and livelihoods for local communities and shelter countless other rare and endemic species. By acting now, we have the chance to keep these ecosystems healthy and functioning, ensuring they remain a source of life and resilience for generations to come.

​