On May 17th and 24th, 2025, our friends from the Spearfishing Luwu Timur community have once again been involved in activities aimed at improving the condition of Lake Matano. This time, they were not fighting invasive fish, but invasive plants (Hydrilla verticillata), which spread rapidly along the shores of the lake and cover large areas with dense vegetation, destroying the habitat of endemic plants and animals (you can find more about this and seven other threats to Lake Matano here). They also collected garbage from the lake, which is unfortunately abundant near the town of Sorowako.
These recent activities were to commemorate World Environment Day and involved other local communities. The event was supported by the government and also by the mining company PT VALE. Sulawesi Keepers made a small donation to show our support and respect.
As you can see from the attached photos and videos, the work is physically demanding and a large number of people have been involved. We would like to thank everyone who cares about Lake Matano! Terima kasih ♡
Markéta Rejlková
