BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: As part of Ocean Week Brunei and in conjunction with the Brunei Mid-Year Conference and Exhibition (MYCE) 2026, Poni Foundation will officially launch TRACKS Brunei and break ground at the new turtle hatchery at the Marine Biodiversity Centre, Meragang on Sunday (June 14).
Hosted by Poni Foundation with support from Poni Group and Lead Partner Baiduri Bank, the turtle hatchery breaking ground ceremony marks the formal start of site works for a conservation project focused on turtle protection, coastal stewardship, monitoring, education and responsible community engagement.
TRACKS Brunei, which stands for Tracking, Research, Awareness, Conservation and Knowledge for Sustainable Livelihoods, is one of Poni Foundation’s flagship blue economy pilot projects.
The initiative begins with turtle conservation and is designed to expand into a wider marine biodiversity platform, with future potential to include dugongs, whale sharks, dolphins, seagrass and other coastal ecosystems.
The turtle hatchery is being developed as a practical conservation investment to support healthier nesting outcomes and strengthen long-term protection of vulnerable turtle populations.
It will also serve as an education and monitoring platform, helping communities better understand how turtle conservation depends on clean beaches, responsible behaviour and careful management of nesting-sensitive areas. The event is designed as a controlled, invited ceremony with strict attention to site safety and habitat protection.
Movement around the project area will be managed to avoid disturbance to dunes, vegetation, hatchery boundaries and nesting-sensitive zones.
The launch marks a shift from awareness to implementation, emphasising that turtle conservation requires long-term monitoring, education, community cooperation and responsible coastal behaviour. Keeping nesting beaches clean, dark, safe and undisturbed is essential for turtle survival.
TRACKS Brunei builds on earlier conservation efforts under LAUT Brunei, which supported ocean awareness, volunteer mobilisation and beach clean-ups.
Through TRACKS Brunei, Poni Foundation aims to build a stronger system for turtle conservation combining habitat protection, monitoring, education, technology and community participation, while supporting Ocean Week Brunei’s broader blue economy vision alongside initiatives such as the Carbon AKAR Project and Warisan Oyster Project.
The turtle hatchery is positioned as a conservation and education asset, not a tourism attraction. The public is reminded not to disturb nests, enter restricted areas, use bright lights near nesting beaches or handle turtles without authorisation.
Following the ceremony, the project will proceed to site preparation, construction planning, monitoring design and education activities.
Meanwhile, a beach clean-up will be conducted at Meragang Beach on the same day from 6am to 10am under the slogan ‘Protecting Brunei’s Beaches, One Cleanup at a Time’. It aims to ensure the coastal area remains clean and suitable for turtles and marine life.
The activity reinforces that turtle conservation begins with practical action on the ground, as clean beaches are essential for nesting success and broader ecosystem health.
The clean-up highlights how coastal waste impacts marine life and reinforces that ocean protection begins with simple, practical actions such as reducing plastic use and proper waste disposal.
While one clean-up alone cannot solve marine pollution, it helps build awareness and shared responsibility. - Borneo Bulletin/ANN
