Faith-Based Ecological Education: Integrating Religious Values and Community Servicethrough Ficus Conservation in Yogyakarta

Abstract

The global ecological crisis demands educational approaches that are more contextual, participatory, and rooted in local culture. This study develops a model of faith-based ecological education through collaboration between university students and local communities in three rural villages of Yogyakarta: Randugunting (Kalasan), Jetak-Mredo (Sewon), and Tegalrejo (Moyudan). Using a Community-Based Research (CBR) approach and the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) framework, the study emphasizes the mobilization of local assets—mosques, Ramadan traditions, arts, and Ficus plants—as instruments of ecological education. Data were collected through participatory observation, semi-structured interviews, and activity documentation, and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings highlight three key results. First, Qur’anic values functioned as a catalyst for enhancing community acceptance of environmental conservation, particularly through Ramadan TPA activities and mosque-based discussions. Second, Ficus-based food and art innovations—such as herbal tea, urap, roulade, ecoprint, bonsai, and calligraphy—demonstrated the potential of community-based entrepreneurship to support food security and local economic resilience. Third, mosques served as anchor institutions integrating faith, knowledge, and community empowerment across generations. The study concludes that faith-based ecological education not only strengthens environmental conservation but also fosters ecological literacy, stimulates creative economy initiatives, and revitalizes the social functions of mosques. These findings contribute conceptually to the literature on faith-based ecology and offer a practical model for the development of just and sustainable ecological education.