SES Film of the Month - June 2026

Iyan Robiansyah: The Endemic plants of Adi Island Iyan won our 2025 Judith Heath Explorer Award for Botany & Research. Iyan’s expedition to Adi Island in West Papua aimed to assess the population status of three plant species found only on the island. Adi Island is facing increasing threats from forest degradation and land conversion, putting its endemic species on the brink of extinction. Of the three known endemic species, one (Diospyros mollissima) is classified as Critically Endangered, while the conservation status of the other two (Diospyrosadiensis and Homalomena adiensis) remains unknown. To support their conservation, the expedition assessed current populations, collected plant material for ex situ conservation, updated their conservation status, and raised awareness amongst local communities and the broader public. Award supported by and in memory of Judith Heath.