Jakarta (ANTARA) - Stressing the interdependence of all life forms on Earth, Indonesia’s first environment minister, Emil Salim, once said that humans must respect nature and treat it the same way they treat each other.He affirmed that life is a blessing from God, granted not only to humans but all flora and fauna on the planet. Their interdependence fosters a symbiotic balance—one that must be maintained.
The thought of this very interdependence drove 72-year-old Oday Kodariyah, or Mama Oday, from Bandung, West Java, to conserve and promote medicinal herbs as a form of local wisdom.
She was inspired to dig deeper into the intergenerational art of using plants as medicine after being diagnosed with cancer in the 1990s.
She started by planting medicinal herbs in her yard. After beating cancer, she founded the Sari Alam Medicinal Herbs Garden, creating a space for around 900 plant species to thrive.
She planted each herb with care and made sure it flourished, all the while sending a powerful message to the public.
Her outstanding work in floral conservation earned her the prestigious Kalpataru Award from the Ministry of Forestry and Environment (now separate ministries) in 2018.
Mama Oday said that the harsh criticism and underestimation she faced initially did not shake her determination in the slightest.
She is determined to dedicate her life to sustaining and promoting medicinal herbs and inspiring more people to recognize their benefits.
Her message is clear: medicinal herbs are far from outdated. Their value is timeless. To spread this message, Mama Oday has created a herbarium, a herbal lab for clinical and traditional treatments, and launched the Global Herbspreneur Academy.
She has also appointed 900 children as ambassadors for the Sari Alam Garden. After winning the Kalpataru Award, she received another prestigious accolade, the Kalpataru Lestari Award, from Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq during a World Environment Day 2025 event on June 5.
The Environment Ministry grants this award to those who show unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability. This year, 12 environmental champions were honored.
Even after the twin accolades, Mama Oday insists she will not stop cultivating medicinal plants—not just for herself and her loved ones, but for the entire nation.
“I am ready to face any challenge to protect the biodiversity Indonesia is blessed with,” she said.
She sees the Kalpataru awards as proof of the public’s trust in her mission.
I Nyoman Sukra, another Kalpataru Lestari awardee, shares Mama Oday’s deep belief in the connection between humans and nature.
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Known as "Nyoman Dolphin," the 50-year-old Balinese environmentalist has seen first-hand how persistent conservation efforts can revive even a severely polluted river.
His journey began when he saw the trash choking Mati River and its mangrove ecosystem in Kuta, Bali, a thriving tourist area. That pushed him act against environmental degradation.
The practice of cutting down mangroves only made the area's waste problems worse. The damage reached a point where birdsong became rare and monitor lizards nearly disappeared from the area.
This prompted Nyoman Dolphin to take bold action, one that would help strike a balance between environmental protection and Bali's booming tourism industry.
He understood how crucial the Mati River and its mangroves were as vital green spaces for both nature and people.
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These natural barriers play a key role in protecting Bali's popular tourist areas such as Kuta, Legian, and Seminyak from coastal erosion.
Teaming up with passionate and like-minded local groups, Nyoman launched a major clean-up mission, leading to the revival of 12 hectares of land. Their impressive work earned them the Kalpataru Award in 2019.
The accolade was just a start.
The groups expanded their efforts, eventually restoring 25 hectares of land. They also committed to planting about 25 thousand mangrove saplings and other valuable plants every year.
Realizing they needed more hands on deck, they began training local residents to conduct regular environmental patrols and river clean-ups. Nyoman’s contributions do not stop there. He has been actively guiding communities in social forestry initiatives, mentoring environmentalist groups, teaching locals about proper waste management, and reminding everyone why Bali’s rivers matter.
He has made his ongoing mission clear: to make people aware of what is being lost in Bali’s tourism boom and what needs saving. The Mati River and its mangroves must endure as green "lungs," breathing life not just into Kuta but into every visitor’s experience.
The inspiring stories of Mama Oday and Nyoman Dolphin show that consistency is key to maintaining harmony between humans and nature. With consistency, even seemingly trivial actions like sorting waste and choosing eco-friendly products can trigger a wave of positive change.
Every step counts because the Earth does not just need us—it needs our commitment to sustainability.
