Community-Based Landscape Intervention for Informal Waste Site Restoration Using Telajakan-Inspired Ecological Design...

Unmanaged waste accumulation in urban areas poses significant environmental and social challenges, especially in rapidly urbanizing regions of Southeast Asia. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a community-based landscape intervention to restore an informal waste site in Pekanbaru, Indonesia, using a culturally adapted telajakan-inspired ecological design. The central research question addresses whether participatory restoration can foster behavioral change and sustain ecological function in low-resource urban settings. The intervention was implemented on a 50 m² site that had been used for illegal dumping for over a year. Involving 105 residents, the program combined awareness-raising workshops, waste removal, soil enhancement, and the planting of native and ornamental species-including Cymbopogon nardus, Manihot esculenta, and Rosa chinensis. Data were collected through pre- and post-surveys, photographic documentation, and field observations over a three-month period. Statistical analysis (paired t-test and Chi-square test) showed significant improvements in residents' environmental knowledge and participation (p < 0.001). During the observation period, all planted species survived and the site remained clean, with continued community-led maintenance through monthly clean-up events. The findings demonstrate that integrating traditional landscape practices with community-based interventions can lead to meaningful behavioral change and short-term ecological success. This case provides a replicable, culturally grounded framework for informal waste site restoration in under-resourced urban areas, with implications for participatory sustainability and environmental justice in the Global South.