Now that the COVID pandemic is over, tourism in Bali is back to its full potential. With more than two million visitors in 2022, the economy in Bali got a boost after the prolonged recession that everyone wished for. As the demand for houses, hotels, and cafes grows, more land is turning into a construction zone. Even though the increase in interest is great for the economy in Bali, the original habitants of those places are often forgotten; the small insects living there. Sustainability projects like Nuanu strive for long-term solutions to preserve Bali’s beautiful natural environment.

Nuanu, located on the coast of Tabanan, is a reimagining city in development that focuses on living in harmony with nature. By bringing business, projects, and research together in one place, the aim is to be self-renewable and live up to the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. With only 25% of built areas on the land, the landscapes are maintained in their natural beauty where animals can live carefreely. Through education and working together with the local community, Nuanu tries to share their sustainable solutions for a more sustainable Bali.

The location of Nuanu is around 44 hectares, where nine re-creation areas are built. Each area has a different function, such as an art residency, a neo-food court, ateliers, micro-villages, a magic garden, and more. By the ocean side, a festival and event venue has been built, where also this year’s Suara festival will be held on the 13th and 14th of May. This festival is all about music, art, and education. In Nuanu, the focus is on sustainability, but the aim is also to build a strong community where people can share their creativity and care for nature.

One of the many projects of Nuanu is the Repopulation Project. This project aims to restore the life of habitats that have declined due to rapid urbanisation and to harmonise the relationship between urban development and the land on which it is built. With the loss of many insects, the biological foundation of ecosystems can be disrupted. The repopulation project is helping insects, butterflies, and fireflies come back to the area. In this focus lies the thought that bigger animals that use insects as their prey will find their way back home to Nuanu as well.

With the help of science and research, different types of species have found their way back to Nuanu, where they can live and propagate. Caterpillars are kept in cages where they can grow into beautiful butterflies and be released when they are ready to fly out. As most of nature stays untouched in Nuanu, the butterflies, fireflies, and all other insects will find the right living conditions to stay in the area. Besides the focus on bringing back wildlife, they also focus on access to clean water and the ability to self-provide fresh and organic food.

The Nuanu nature team investigates the relationship between the problem and the solution in order to develop eco-solutions that can be implemented in their projects and used to educate the public. Nuanu can therefore become a source that can discover sustainable solutions and share them with the local or national community. Bringing back the wildlife that was once lost is a never-ending but rewarding project. For more information about the repopulation project or about Nuanu visit www.Nuanu.com. (BTN/r)