Once again, I feel blessed. I was selected to be one of the participants in the National Geographic APAC Explorer Retreat on Jeju Island, South Korea, held from September 1–5, 2025. It's truly an honor—especially since I had also been chosen to participate in National Geographic Spotlight Asia on Jeju Island in June 2022, the Women’s Convening in Asia in Seoul in October 2022, and the National Geographic Explorer’s Festival in Washington D.C. in June 2023.

I believe this opportunity came because of the unique approach that ASRI takes—where conservation work starts by genuinely listening to the community. Our approach is holistic and interconnected, allowing for more meaningful impact, especially by linking the health of nature with human health—what we often call planetary health in action.

In addition, skills in network-building and storytelling are crucial, as they help sustain the trust and relationships we've built. To share a little story: I might have been the only explorer who wrote a detailed reflection of my first event experience, complete with daily agendas and photos, and sent it to several NatGeo staff members. Later, when I applied what I had learned from that event at the 2022 Ashden Awards in the Natural Climate Solutions category, I sent another email to NatGeo to express my gratitude. That first Jeju experience helped prepare me to give a speech in front of 500 people at the iconic Royal Geographical Society building in London.

Nur Febriani Wardi delivered a 3-minute storytelling about the background of her life and ASRI

Last week, I set foot on Jeju Island once again for a retreat that was more relaxed—but still rich, meaningful, and, at times, even a bit stressful. Together with a dozen other NatGeo Explorers from across Asia-Pacific, we revisited the kinds of support available to National Geographic Explorers, explored the beauty of Jeju Island and its wildlife—from insects and reptiles to birds and dolphins—and shared about managing failures, balancing career with family and health, and improving our collaboration skills.

We also had fun and laid-back sessions, like mobility exercises and a cooking competition at You in One Café, which interestingly is run by a former NatGeo staff member. Of course, one of the highlights was being trained to tell meaningful yet potentially heavy stories in under three minutes—through strong, clear, and effective storytelling.

Cooking competition between National Geographic Explorer

Specifically about storytelling, we were required to complete an online public speaking course in our home countries before the retreat. Then, in Jeju, we curated our speech materials with mentors and fellow explorers, and practiced delivering them.

Eventually, the spotlight stage awaited us. I chose to share a personal story that has driven me to advocate for planetary health and fight for support for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs)—who are the front-liners of forest conservation.

Through this retreat experience, I was reminded of the importance of work-life balance, the value of the people closest to us, and the need to take care of our physical health. Because no matter how high our achievements go, health is essential—not just to stay productive, but to truly enjoy our accomplishments. I also gained a fresh perspective on wildlife conservation—on a deeper level than before. This came from a visit to the Hot Pink Dolphins organization, which was truly eye-opening.

From that experience, I learned that threats to wildlife come in many forms—from tour boats and fishing nets to the noise of offshore wind turbines. These threats reminded me of the same complexities faced by forest wildlife—such as deforestation, poaching, and habitat fragmentation. Whether it's dolphins in the sea or orangutans and other species in the forest, all wildlife needs safe spaces to live—free from excessive human pressure. This awareness further strengthened my conviction that conservation is not just about protecting trees or oceans, but about building harmony between humans and all life on this planet.

National Geographic Explorer dengan with the Hot Pink Dolphins 

Thank you to the National Geographic Society for inviting me to this incredible event, and to Yayasan ASRI for giving me the opportunity to represent and share the amazing work we do to protect forests—for the sake of humanity and a better planet.