The second day of The 6th International Symposium on Earth, Energy, Environmental Science and Sustainable Development 2025, organized by the Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development (JESSD), took place on Saturday (8 November 2025).
The session, titled “Integrating Socio-Ecological, Conservation, and Behavioral Communication Approaches for Forest and Land Fire Prevention,” was designed to thoroughly examine the challenges and solutions related to preventing forest and land fires (known in Indonesia as karhutla) through the integration of socio-ecological science, conservation approaches, and behavioral communication strategies.
By combining scientific insights, policy perspectives, and community dynamics, the forum underscored the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration in strengthening ecosystem resilience and promoting more effective and sustainable fire prevention efforts.
Prof. Dr. Kosuke Mizuno from the Department of Environmental Science, Graduate School of Sustainable Development, explained that peatlands are highly vulnerable ecosystems, prone to fires triggered by market failures, weak governance, and community-level challenges.
He emphasized that coordinated efforts among local communities, government agencies, and companies—supported by universities, civil society organizations, and other partners—have proven effective in reducing fire incidents, enhancing land productivity, and strengthening community awareness as the foundation for long-term prevention.
“A collaborative approach is essential. When all stakeholders work within the same framework, we can create peatland ecosystems that are more resilient to fire risks and promote more sustainable land management practices,” he stated.
Trisia Megawati Kusuma Dewi, as an environmental communication expert with a focus on forest and land fire prevention, highlighted that weak-threat fear appeal, when combined with participatory community dialogue, has been proven effective in driving behavioral change in fire prevention. She stressed that behavioral communication acts as the connecting link between science and policy, particularly in the context of community-based fire prevention.
“We see that behavioral communication is not only about delivering messages but about building trust and a sense of ownership among communities in fire prevention efforts. This is crucial to ensuring that interventions are sustainable,” she said.
Meanwhile, Pricilia Chika Alexandra presented a socio-ecological analysis of recurring peatland fires in Central Kalimantan. Her findings show that land-use patterns and hydrological disruptions create highly flammable landscapes. Joint monitoring efforts and the development of peat rewetting infrastructure have been able to reduce fire frequency.
“The socio-ecological approach helps us understand that fire prevention cannot focus solely on technical aspects. Landscape management must consider social dynamics, community behavior, and ecological conditions as an integrated whole,” she explained.
The session was moderated by Dr. Yanu Aryani, who facilitated a multidisciplinary dialogue on how socio-ecological understanding, behavioral communication, and conservation-based restoration can be integrated to strengthen community-centered and resilient fire prevention strategies.
Through this webinar, JESSD continues to promote scientific approaches in supporting sustainable development, particularly in addressing the challenges of forest and land fires in Indonesia.
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