UNDIP, Kendal (14/8) — Thematic Community Service Program (KKN-T) 133 of Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) and Universitas Wahid Hasyim (UNWAHAS) organized a “Green Action” at Moro Istimewa (MORIS) Beach in Tawanglaut Sub-Village, Gempolsewu Village, Rowosari District, Kendal Regency, on Friday (August 7, 2026). The activity marked an initial step toward supporting the development of MORIS Beach as a marine tourism destination in Gempolsewu Village.
The event was attended by representatives of the Kendal Regency Environmental Agency, the Gempolsewu Village Government, the Gempolsewu Village-Owned Enterprise (BUMDES), the Tawanglaut Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), environmental activists, KKN-T 133 UNDIP and UNWAHAS students, students of SDN 6 Gempolsewu, and residents. The Green Action aimed to raise public awareness about cleanliness while greening the MORIS Beach area, which currently has limited vegetation and is affected by waste carried from the mouth of the Kuto River.
The activities included Gugur Gunung (communal community work), beach clean-up, an introduction to the Beach Sand Cleaner, and the planting of sea casuarina trees. A total of 71 sea casuarina seedlings were prepared, with 15 planted symbolically during the event, while the remaining 56 seedlings were handed over to the Tawanglaut Tourism Awareness Group for gradual planting.
Head of the Pollution and Environmental Damage Division of the Kendal Regency Environmental Agency, Ignatius Hidayat Edhi Nugroho, S.Kom., M.A., expressed his support for the greening initiative at MORIS Beach. “We hope that this planting activity will not merely be ceremonial, but will be followed by ongoing maintenance and planting efforts carried out sustainably by the community together with the Tourism Awareness Group,” Edhi said.
Chairman of the Tawanglaut Tourism Awareness Group, Sofyan, expressed his hope that beach clean-up activities could become a regular community initiative. “MORIS Beach was established by the Tawanglaut Tourism Awareness Group and is planned to be developed as a tourism destination. We need community participation and hope activities like this can become a routine practice. Perhaps every Friday Kliwon, residents could spend one to two hours cleaning MORIS Beach,” Sofyan said.
Althaf M.T., the initiator and designer of the Beach Sand Cleaner, explained that the equipment was developed based on the conditions at MORIS Beach. “We designed this equipment based on the conditions at MORIS Beach, where waste is still mixed with sand, making the cleaning process require considerable time and effort. Through this equipment, we aim to assist the process by utilizing a simple screening system, allowing the sand to return to the beach while the waste can be collected and disposed of,” Althaf explained.
The activity coordinator, AK. Sugandy, expressed his appreciation to all parties who participated in the Green Action. He hoped the activity would encourage the community to continue working together to maintain the cleanliness and beauty of MORIS Beach. “On behalf of KKN UNDIP and UNWAHAS, we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of this event. We also hope that the Tourism Awareness Group and the community will continue to nyengkuyung gugur gunung, or work together, to maintain the cleanliness and beauty of MORIS Beach so that it can become a viable marine tourism destination in Gempolsewu Village,” Sugandy said.
The activity was part of the Assisted Village Program (Program Desa Binaan/PDB) under KKN-T 133 UNDIP and UNWAHAS in Gempolsewu Village, supported by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemendiktisaintek RI). The program will be implemented over three years, with 2026 marking its first year. Its primary focus is to explore and develop the potential of marine tourism in Gempolsewu Village. As an initial step, tourism development is being pursued by strengthening the role of the Tourism Awareness Group and the local community. The Green Action is one of the initiatives aimed at strengthening the group’s role while increasing public awareness of the cleanliness and environmental sustainability of MORIS Beach. (Public Communication/UNDIP)