Empowering Local Communities through Biodiversity Conservation, Ecosystem-Based Ecotourism, and Natural Capital Accounting for Sustainable Development in Buluh Cina, Riau, Indonesia

Abstract

Biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resource management are essential for supporting environmental sustainability and inclusive community development. This community service initiative aims to empower local communities in Buluh Cina, Kampar Regency, Riau Province, Indonesia, by integrating biodiversity conservation, ecosystem-based ecotourism, and natural capital accounting. The program focuses on strengthening community awareness of local natural assets, explaining the ecological functions of forest and freshwater ecosystems, introducing natural capital accounting and carbon sequestration concepts, and identifying opportunities for conservation-oriented ecotourism. A participatory community empowerment approach is proposed, comprising preliminary natural asset identification, biodiversity conservation education, introductory natural capital accounting and carbon literacy, ecotourism planning, and program evaluation. The initiative emphasizes the importance of recognizing the ecological, social, and potential economic contributions of local flora, fauna, forests, lakes, wetlands, and riverine habitats. It also highlights the role of natural capital accounting in organizing information about ecosystem assets and services to support more informed community-level decision-making. The expected contribution is to strengthen environmental literacy, encourage community participation in conservation, and provide a foundation for sustainable ecotourism planning and future ecosystem service assessments. However, verified biodiversity inventories, quantitative carbon assessments, and economic valuations require additional field data and systematic measurement. This integrated approach offers a framework for connecting biodiversity conservation with community empowerment and sustainable development in Buluh Cina.