The beauty of Tangkoko forest is indescribable. There are not enough words to tell what kind of adventures you will have in this watchful forest. This green dense forest next to the ocean offers such an amazing experience, to make you stand on the feet of Albert Rudolf Wallace when he discovered how unique the “creatures” of this place.

Through the publication of new book, ‘Tangkoko in Frame; The Green Hidden Paradise is THREATENED’, Khouni Lomban Rawung and T-FOB (Tukang Foto Orang Batuputih: Batuputih Village Photographers) guide you to explore Tangkoko forest from early morning until late at night. Featuring images by local photographers, Tangkoko in Frame attempts to show unique insights, views from the hidden parts of the forest that you might have not seen yet; the close up world of small insects to the majestic hornbills up in the sky. Tangkoko never falls asleep!

After a year from conception to bringing all the images together, the book was finally brought to the public through a virtual soft-launch at the Bitung Environment Festival on September 19th 2020. Not only to promote the tourism for Bitung, this book is also an educational tool to help people to be proud of the biodiversity inside Tangkoko, to understand the threats, and hopefully to inspire readers to take action for the preservation of this amazing place.  

The author Khouni Lomban Rawung was first amazed by Tangkoko biodiversity pictures taken by T-FOB  that were displayed at “Marijo Ka Tangkoko” (Let’s go to Tangkoko) photo exhibition facilitated by Selamatkan Yaki and Bitung Tourism Department in March 2019. There came the idea to put those pictures together in a book. Those professional images seen to be appreciated and have to be distributed wider to promote Tangkoko and also as capacity building for local photographers. The members of T-FOB itself mostly work as local guides of Batuputih recreation park, where Selamatkan Yaki has been working closely with local guides and communities. Capacity building in many aspects including photography has become one aspect in enhancing the protection of the natural habitat of the yaki.

The soft launch event aimed to get initial reviews and suggestions before the book is  shared widely. Hopefully the positive messages it carries will reach people from all around the world.

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