SeaVoice x Edges of Earth
Meet Virly Yuriken: The Force Behind Misool’s Conservation Success
As Told To: Andi Cross: Edges of Earth Collective - Expeditionist, Strategist, Writer
An Expedition to Misool, Raja Ampat
Misool, part of Indonesia’s Raja Ampat Regency, is one of the last great marine biodiversity strongholds on Earth. This archipelago within an archipelago is home to 13 stilted villages and 5,000 residents who rely on fishing, pearl farming, and scuba diving tourism as their lifelines. While many know Misool for its world-class diving, there’s far more to this Indonesian nirvana than meets the eye.
At the heart of its conservation efforts is Misool Foundation, established as the non-profit arm of the famed Misool Resort in 2011. Recognised as one of the world’s most successful marine NGOs, it has played a critical role in transforming, safeguarding, and preserving these waters. Awarded Blue Park status by the Marine Conservation Institute in 2018, the foundation manages the Misool Marine Reserve, setting a global standard for how to uphold the promise of protecting a region so rich in biodiversity and important to so many.
A 30-second expedition with the Misool Foundation
"We're committed to restoring 1,000 square meter of the reef annually" - Virly Yuriken
Raja Ampat from above © Adam Moore
But the story of Misool’s successes didn’t happen overnight. This region was once devastated by shark finning, turtle poaching, and destructive fishing. What exists today—a thriving marine sanctuary alive with more life than one could imagine—is the result of years of relentless protection, restoration, and local empowerment.
Few people understand this transformation better than Virly Yuriken, the Chairperson of the foundation. She started as an intern, working her way up to Coordinator before eventually taking the helm. Under her leadership, the foundation has not only been a champion for the region’s marine biodiversity but also strengthened local communities, proving that conservation and development can and must go hand in hand. When living alongside Virly for a week exploring Misool and seeing the foundation’s work in action, she explained why this archipelago is different, how their on-the-ground work efforts have evolved over the years, and what it truly takes to protect a place as special as this.
The following is shared by Virly Yuriken, Chairperson of Misool Foundation © Adam Moore
The Misool Marine Reserve
Virly shares, “To me, Raja Ampat is one of the most compelling places in the world, home to 75% of all known coral species and over 1,600 species of fish. When explaining the region’s importance to local communities, I often describe it as a fish bank—you must keep the capital and only take the interest. That’s the key to keeping this place thriving. The sheer biomass, the richness of life in these waters—that’s what draws people here from across the globe.”
For a bit of context: the Misool Marine Reserve was established in 2005, thanks to a powerful partnership with the local communities. Today, it’s a 300,000-acre area comprising two distinct No-Take Zones in which all fishing is prohibited. An 18-person team of local rangers is patrolling the region around the clock, 365 days a year. In 2007, the Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority built a vast MPA Network, creating nine individual MPAS, spanning approximately two million hectares. The Misool Marine Reserve is recognised as a specific zone within one of these nine MPAs, adding an extra layer of protection and strengthening the regional commitment to marine governance.
This network is one of Indonesia’s best examples of how government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector can work together to create something that isn’t just a “paper park” but a fully enforced and operational conservation model. Ensuring its continued success has been part of my life’s work since 2018.
[A paper park is an MPA that exists in writing, with little or no enforcement, regulation, or effective conservation efforts put in place. While these areas may be officially designated for protection, they often lack the resources, monitoring, and governance needed to prevent harmful activities that devastate these waters.]
Coral restoration working around Misool © Adam Moore
Beginning with Shark Finning
Our work began with a singular focus: to bring an end to the destruction. We established three ranger stations in former shark-finning camps—places where natural resources were being stripped away, including the once-abundant leopard shark. Routine patrols of the Misool Marine Reserve started when the local community asked for help enforcing the newly established No-Take Zones. The patrol effort consisted of a small plastic dinghy and a handful of villagers who were part of the original construction team employed by Misool Resort. At first, they focused on raising awareness, informing people that these harmful practices had to stop. They also worked to prevent dynamite fishing, which had devastated the reefs for years.
Releasing a juvenile leopard shark back into the wild with Re-Shark and Misool Foundation © Andi Cross
For the first three to five years, enforcement was our primary mission. In 2011, the team decided to formalize this conservation work being carried out by the resort and establish Misool Foundation as an Indonesian charity. Once the foundation was operational and our marine patrol efforts were in place, illegal activities significantly declined. While some violations still occur today, infractions have dropped dramatically, and fish biomass has increased by 250%. This success has allowed us to shift our focus toward a number of different conservation programs, including reef restoration.
So far, we’ve restored about 5,000 square meters of reef—turning barren marine wastelands into thriving ecosystems. While in the beginning, we only worked within the Misool Marine Reserve, now we’ve expanded beyond those protected areas with 10 restoration sites and counting. Today, we are committed to restoring 1,000 square meters of reef annually.
Observing different styles of coral restoration with Misool Foundation © Andi Cross
Building Grassroots Groundswell
Support for these rewilding programs reached an all-time high during the pandemic. Local homestay owners and guides began taking guests to one of our ranger stations, where our largest reef restoration site is located. Seeing the transformation firsthand—reefs so vibrant, alive, and full of fish, with marine life rebounding—was what I think truly shifted perspectives.
Word spread quickly. Soon, the chief of Yellu Village approached us, asking if they could learn to restore their own reefs. We immediately agreed, launching a pilot program to support them. One of the biggest drivers for this change was the growing realisation that conservation wasn’t just about protecting the environment—it was an investment in their future. More and more villagers were working in tourism at the time of the pandemic, and they saw that thriving reefs meant a stable livelihood for generations to come.
The village of Yellu, Indonesia © Adam Moore
[Yellu Village is a small, traditional fishing village in Misool. Home to an Indigenous community that has lived in harmony with the surrounding marine environment for generations, Yellu is a hub of local culture, fishing practices, and daily life in this remote region. Despite its isolation, the village plays a key role in the conservation efforts, balancing tradition with the need to protect the rich biodiversity of the area’s reefs and waters.]
For us, it all starts with curiosity. When people begin asking, what’s happening beneath the surface?—that’s our opportunity to connect the dots. But real change has to come from within the community, not be imposed from the outside. That’s why we take the long road, building relationships through daily conversations, planting the seed of awareness, and letting the momentum build naturally.
Now, ten people from Yellu Village are being trained by our in-house specialists and taking matters into their own hands. It’s exactly the kind of community-driven conservation we’ve always believed in—one where people feel a deep sense of ownership over the future of their reefs.
Pulling into Yellu village after a day of coral restoration © Adam Moore
Conservation Meets Community Development
We quickly realised that if conservation was seen as “us versus the community,” it would never work. For many years, we’ve supported community education on a small scale, starting with a kindergarten in the nearby village of Fafanlap. In 2022, we expanded this to launch an environmental program targeting South Misool’s three high schools. Unlike elementary schools, which exist in most villages, high schools are fewer, and many students don’t have the opportunity to continue their education beyond that.
In such a remote area, not everyone can leave to find work. For many, the most accessible way to support their families is by going out to sea. That’s why it’s critical to start conservation education early—helping students understand how a healthy marine ecosystem directly impacts their future.
Virly taking the team to meet students who are learning about the power of the ocean © Adam Moore
At first, limited resources meant we could only hold classroom sessions, but even those had an impact. Teachers, students, and even parents began to see the value in what we were sharing. Encouraged by the response, we expanded the program beyond the classroom and into the field. Students visited no-take zones, met the rangers, and worked alongside our reef restoration team. Instead of just learning about conservation, they experienced it firsthand—seeing the difference between an alive reef and a damaged one, understanding how artificial reefs are built, and witnessing marine life up close.
The response has been incredible. Students are going home and teaching their families why protecting the reef matters. The message is spreading beyond the classroom, strengthening conservation efforts at a grassroots level. The more people who feel connected to this wild place, the stronger the impact—not just for the reefs, but for the future of the entire region.
Village life around Misool © Adam Moore
While we’ve worked with villages to create agreements that regulate fishing gear and protect key sites, enforcement remains a challenge. Some still fish in no-take zones or use unsustainable methods, despite the rules. Finding the balance between environmental protection and local livelihoods is complex and never-ending—conservation here isn’t just science, it’s an art. And part of that art is learning how to navigate these challenges openly, through dialogue and trust, to ensure long-term success for both the people and the place. After all, it’s what we’ve been doing since our beginning.
Misool’s Future
The truth is, there is no singular “end goal,” for the foundation. Conservation isn’t a project with a finish line—it’s a lifelong commitment. Our mission is to keep doing the work: patrolling, protecting, restoring, and educating. The reefs need constant care and vigilance. Restoration requires ongoing adaptation. And perhaps most importantly, we need to inspire the next generation—not just to continue this work, but to take it further than we ever could.
Virly speaking with community members about what they are seeing with the restoration projects © Adam Moore
We are not a parachute NGO—one that starts a few projects and leaves. We are part of this community, and the people leading this effort are the community. That’s the difference. Our goal is to ensure that Misool’s people have the tools, knowledge, and leadership to protect their home long after I’m gone.
For those who dream of visiting Raja Ampat—to dive its reefs and witness its beauty—know that this place is more than a postcard-perfect destination. It’s a lifeline for the people who live here. If you visit, come with awareness. Dive responsibly. Travel with respect. And leave knowing that even a single visit has a ripple effect on this place’s future. Because protecting Misool is always going to be about saving reefs just as much as it is about ensuring a future where people and nature thrive together. And that future is something we are building every single day.”
Learn more about the Misool Foundation: https://www.misoolfoundation.org/
There’s a lot worth protecting in Misool’s waters © Adam Moore
About Andi Cross, Edges of Earth
Andi is an international expeditionist fiercely dedicated to redefining how businesses coexist with the natural world and the communities they directly and indirectly affect. With over 15 years of experience helping both major corporations scale and building impact startups—as well as nearly a decade in marine and terrestrial conservation—she bridges the gap between corporate ambition and environmental responsibility. She’s constantly vying for a future where people and planet both win. Her work spans industries, guiding businesses, agencies, and venture capital firms to integrate sustainability into the heart of their portfolio’s strategies.
Since 2017, she has been the Strategist in Residence at H/L Ventures—a firm championing historically underserved founders—where she has helped build purpose-driven companies. Previously, as Vice President of Strategic Growth at Huge, Inc., she helped grow the leading digital and design firm to be more effective service-focused leaders. She’s worked with world-renowned brands such as Coca-Cola, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Hyundai, and Norwegian Cruise Lines during her tenure at Ogilvy & Mather and other leading agencies around the globe.
A pivotal moment in her journey came when she combined her corporate expertise with field expeditions to some of the world’s most vulnerable regions. Seeing the disconnect between ESG strategies and the realities faced by communities on the frontlines of climate change, Andi founded a sustainability consulting firm in 2018. Since then, she’s partnered with over 250 field experts in 40+ countries, guiding 50+ partners toward delivering tangible change.
Andi’s next-generation approach is rooted in lived experience, bringing practicality and positivity to even the heaviest climate and conservation challenges. While the scope of climate issues may feel overwhelming, she helps enterprise businesses and startups find actionable paths forward without compromising their financial objectives. Her work and insights have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, MSNBC, Forbes, Time Magazine, The Today Show, and more, highlighting her relentless drive to push boundaries in environmental stewardship and corporate sustainability.
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