MLA Options Studio Field Report: LA5701 | MLA Studio Country: Holding Ground: Mangroves of Benoa Bay, Bali, Indonesia

From September 19–23, 2025, students from the Master of Landscape Architecture option design studio, led by tutor Evi Syariffudin embarked on a fieldwork in Benoa Bay, Bali. The trip began with a hands-on mangrove workshop organised by local NGO Bendega. Students canoed through the tranquil waters of the Ngurah Rai National Mangrove Forest, observing shifting tides and witnessing a traditional ceremony performed by a nearby fishing community. The workshop continued with mangrove monitoring, where students measured and recorded the growth of seedlings, saplings, and mature trees, gaining practical insights into coastal resilience and restoration ecology.

The group then met with local forestry authorities, who introduced them to the smart-technology propagation facilities designed to scale up national, government-led mangrove restoration efforts. The exploration then expanded to Serangan Island and Tanjung Benoa, where students examined the material and spatial character of local settlements. Through conversations and site observations, they reflected on how the Balinese philosophy of Tri Hita Karana — harmony among people, nature, and the spiritual — continues to shape everyday life, even as contemporary development challenges its expression. The trip offered a rare opportunity for students to experience the intersection of ecology, culture, and design practice firsthand — reaffirming the role of landscape architects as advocates for natural and cultural heritage practices, both existing and projected.