Passionate for conservation and tourism, Maria Bollerup uses her experience from the increasingly more political travel industry and the dive industry to join the forces of with an international team, across borders, in environmental cave diving expeditions.

Maria is a co-founder of NIXIE Expeditions with fellow WINGS Flag Carrier Rannva Joermundsson. Maria was an integral member of the core team behind Expedition Buteng where she and Rannava carried WINGS Flag #29 as their team travelled to Pulau Muna, an island in the Southeast Sulawesi province of Indonesia, and known as “The Island Of A Thousand Caves.” 

Cave entrances are found all over the island, and several have evidence of human activities in the form of cave art dating back thousands of years. Fresh water is nestled underground in a massive cave system, formed inside an ancient coral reef, making the exploration both stunning and challenging. As a specialized team of speleologists, their expedition to the Butong Tengah Aquifer explored and surveyed two large dry caves for prospects of new entrances into the aquifer for easier access to the water for the surrounding villages. The aquifer and the cave system(s) are enormous and uniquely pristine. 

In partnership with the University of Gadjah Mada, Indonesian hydrology specialists and scientists within the study of groundwater took part in the expedition by examining the water samples collected by the cave diving team.These samples are to be analyzed and used as a baseline for pristine fresh water in the area. This will help determine the pollution existing in other parts of Southeast Sulawesi and furthermore aid in the study of climate changes, microplastic and evolution in secluded and isolated biosystems.

The Buteng Expedition marks the first in a series of planned aquifer conservation projects where specialist technical cave divers and speleologists will work hand in hand to gather scientific data and collaborate with local communities to achieve sustainable water management and conservation. 

As Maria says, “Carrying the WINGS Flag sends the message to our followers, that you CAN make a difference, and create change by dedication, by following your passion, and by supporting others who dare to dream of making change.”