Biosphere Foundation is a non-profit US organisation with operations in Indonesia managed by PT Biosphere Stewardship Center, and a partnership with Yayasan Biosfir Indonesia to work in Bali Barat National Park.
In 1991 we embarked on a 30-year mission around the planet to fuse our Biosphere 2 heritage with local knowledge, creating a collaborative movement for ocean and land stewardship. We share our visual library of film, sound and data curated over three decades of direct observation and immersion, to give a global voice to the biosphere.
Our three main areas of action:
- Coral Stewardship & Restoration
We are building on a body of knowledge about ocean health that includes direct observation and measurements from 49 coral reef sites around the world, as well as studies of key indicator species such as great whales and sea turtles. Working with local dive leaders, we apply techniques for coral restoration, such as installing mooring buoys, removal of coral predators and replanting of living but broken corals. Once secured, old coral colonies can continue to grow and successfully rebuild damaged reefs. - Land Stewardship in Bali
We are building skills and information with our local community for sustainable agriculture and forestry in NW Bali – a dry-monsoon region where the rains last only for about 4 months a year, and deforestation for wood, cash crops and animal fodder is a local problem. Our projects include:
– Testing economically viable new cultivars and promoting organic farming methods.
– Demonstrating how to restore landscapes by replanting endemic trees, and constructing swales to catch rainwater run-off and prevent ongoing erosion of soil into the coral reef bay.
– Although Bali is rooted soundly in agriculture and water management that has inspired and instructed people all over the world, some families have moved away from growing their own food and struggle with water issues, as well as health, due to resources becoming scarce and expensive. This year, we are expanding our efforts to initiate an education program and provide seed and/or trees for local families that have an interest in creating their own small backyard gardens. - Lifelong and Experiential Learning Programs
We build relationships with recognized education providers to create and inspire a future network of conservation leaders.
For the past 30 years we have led ocean-going expeditions to map and monitor coral reefs with over 150 students from around the world who attended a 9-month immersion program. Our ship program continues to lead stewardship programs for people in remote island locations of the Coral Triangle.
In the last 10 years we additionally led 45 ‘Biosphere Stewardship Education Programs’ in NW Bali for 925 local and international students. These applied learning programs, which deliver activities involving the care of nature, for people of all ages, include:
- Balinese youth snorkeling camping trips,
- Customized programs for schools & universities (such as the Bali Green School, Singapore American School and NUS/Yale Singapore), and
- International Stewardship Programs accredited by United World Colleges for youth and adults from around the world.
