Indonesian environmental journalist trades rock band stage for rainforest conservation mission

In the pre-dawn hours of Surabaya, Indonesia’s “City of Heroes,” Akhyari Hananto begins each day with a ritual that blends devotion and data. After morning prayers, he dives into Google Analytics to decode the night’s digital storytelling patterns—tracking which environmental stories captivated readers and which headlines fell flat. This daily intelligence gathering shapes his strategy as multimedia manager for Mongabay Indonesia, where he transforms environmental journalism into compelling content for the nation’s 280 million citizens.

Hananto’s role sits at the intersection of creativity and conservation urgency. On any given day, he might be editing videos about threatened coral reefs, managing social media campaigns about deforestation, or translating complex data into engaging editorial strategies. His mission is singular yet monumental: ensuring that critical environmental journalism reaches and resonates with Indonesian audiences whose forests, peatlands, and marine ecosystems rank among Earth’s most biodiverse—and most endangered.

The path from rock music to rainforest advocacy wasn’t linear for Hananto. During his university years in Yogyakarta, he fronted a Pearl Jam-inspired grunge band before transitioning to banking, then humanitarian work following a devastating 2006 earthquake. Since joining Mongabay in 2014, he has channeled this diverse background into environmental storytelling that carries deeply personal stakes. “As an Indonesian, it’s impossible not to care,” he explains. “These issues are unfolding right here, on our own islands.” His unique journey from stage performer to conservation communicator exemplifies how unlikely paths can lead to profound environmental impact.