Padar Island Tourism Facility Development Guaranteed to Remain Environmentally Friendly
Jakarta – Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni emphasized that the planned development of tourism facilities on Padar Island, Komodo National Park, will prioritize environmentally friendly principles and will not disrupt the habitat of the endemic Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis).
“I will ensure that even if the private sector builds, the most important thing is to maintain the ecology. We must not damage the environment or the Komodo dragon’s habitat,” he said. He explained that the use of the area for ecotourism is still permitted within the utilization zone, as long as it follows strict regulations and is based on scientific studies.
Padar Island, which is under the management of Komodo National Park and has had UNESCO World Heritage status since 1991, has had a tourism utilization permit from PT Komodo Wildlife Ecotourism (PT KWE) since 2014. However, no physical development has taken place to date. According to the Minister, every development step will go through a lengthy process, including an environmental impact assessment involving UNESCO.
“We will also re-examine the development plans, including the issue of hundreds of villas. We still need to refine the data,” he explained. He confirmed that if development proceeds, it will not be permanent buildings, but rather transportable structures that will not disrupt the ecosystem.
Similarly, Destika Cahyana, a researcher from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), assessed that the development of tourism facilities on Padar Island is not a problem as long as it complies with regulations and does not damage the environment. “If the land status complies with regulations, there’s actually no problem. Villas can be built as long as they don’t damage the environment and the Komodo dragon habitat. That’s the main thing,” he said.
Destika emphasized the importance of maintaining natural balance, especially in land use planning. “The proportion between green areas and buildings must be maintained. We must avoid leaving bare land that could potentially cause erosion and damage the sea,” he said.
He also highlighted the need for formal local community involvement, for example through cooperatives or village-owned enterprises (BUMDes), so that development brings economic benefits to residents. “If we leave it without well-managed development, Komodo National Park will simply become a center of international attention without any direct benefit to the community. As long as everything is maintained and the community is involved, this is actually an opportunity,” he concluded.
With a conservation-based approach and community participation, the development plan on Padar Island is expected to become an example of sustainable tourism development that preserves natural heritage while boosting the local economy.
