From Ocean to Forest: Safeguarding Territories of Life

Published jointly by WGII and Mongabay Indonesia in 2025, this landmark volume brings together in-depth conservation stories from communities across the Indonesian archipelago, from coastal and marine territories to inland forests. Written by a team of experienced environmental journalists and edited by senior editors from both organisations, the book bridges investigative journalism and advocacy documentation to present compelling accounts of communities fighting to protect their living spaces.

The book challenges the dominant narrative that conservation is primarily the domain of governments and scientific institutions, demonstrating instead that the most effective frontline defenders of Indonesia's extraordinary biodiversity are the indigenous and local communities who have lived within and depended on these ecosystems for generations. Stories explore themes of marine resource management, forest governance under customary law, the recognition of ICCAs, and the escalating threats from extractive industries, plantation expansion, and climate change.

The volume serves as both a call to action and a celebration of existing resilience. It draws direct connections between the survival of traditional governance systems and the fate of Indonesia's biodiversity, arguing that rights-based community conservation must be placed at the center of national and global biodiversity strategies. It is the English counterpart to Menjaga Ruang Hidup dari Laut ke Hutan published simultaneously in Indonesian.