Projects

Here's just a small sampling of the natural treasures we've helped preserve over the years.

Corbicula possoensis

The Corbicula possoensis is one of the endemic freshwater mussels in Lake Poso and was collected for the first time by Sarasin & Sarasin (1989) about a century ago during their expedition in Sulawesi (formerly Celebes).

The limited information about population updates has caused their threatened status in the IUCN Red List to be listed as Endangered (EN) since 2012, with no data on population available (von Rintelen & Bogan, 2012).

Threats:

  1. Invasive and non-native species

  2. Habitat destruction through land conversion

  3. Eutrophication caused by domestic waste pollution and agriculture activities

Aims of the project:

“This project will provide community-based conservation action and habitat protection to save Corbicula possoensis from extinction”.

  1. Providing updated data on the population status and threats in their habitat

  2. Increasing the awareness of the local community

  3. Habitat protection (providing in-situ habitat protection)

  4. Seminars to the community, government, and education program for the young generation

A group of young people and children standing in shallow water at the beach, looking at a phone together. The sky is clear and blue, with some trees and other people in the background.
A person's hand holding several small black seashells with shiny, ridged surfaces.

Corbicula possoensis

Run-off—surface water that sweeps sediment and pollutants into Lake Poso—degrades the fine-sand habitat of Corbicula possoensis; MZW’s mission in this project is to build local community awareness and a sense of ownership so residents help safeguard the clam’s future.

A group of children and a man in swimwear studying a book together while standing in shallow water at a beach on a sunny day.
A person's hand holding several small black seashells with shiny, ridged surfaces.