<![CDATA[The mangrove ecosystem in Sarawet Village, North Minahasa, harbors a rich diversity of unique native biota (operationally defined herein as "exotic" due to their charismatic features and ecotourism appeal) with substantial ecological and socio-economic value. However, the lack of systematic biodiversity data has perpetuated traditional, extractive resource practices, posing a serious threat to coastal sustainability. This community service program aimed to conduct a participatory inventory of exotic mangrove biota and boost environmental literacy to foster conservation-driven economic development. Utilizing a Participatory Action Research (PAR) framework, the methodological interventions integrated interactive dialogic socialization with hands-on biodiversity mapping through a learning-by-doing approach. The local community was trained to operate handheld GPS devices and digital identification applications for spatial mapping directly in the field. The participatory inventory documented 15 taxa of exotic biota, including keystone and highly commercial species such as Mud Crabs (Scylla spp.), Mudskippers (Periophthalmus spp.), and Fiddler Crabs (Uca spp.), and compiled them into a basic digital spatial catalog for the village. Quantitative evaluations using pre- and post-tests showed a significant 66.7% increase (from an average pre-test score of 45 to a post-test score of 75) in the community's cognitive understanding and awareness of sustainable ecosystem management. Furthermore, the intervention catalyzed the strategic identification of community-led educational ecotourism and silvofishery initiatives, projecting potential alternative local revenue streams of approximately 230 USD (IDR 3.5 million) per month for the community-owned enterprise (BUMDes), calculated from a baseline target of 40 monthly eco-tourists and 10 kg of sustainable mud crab harvest. In conclusion, merging spatial technologies with participatory education efficiently shifts the coastal community paradigm from extractive practices to knowledge-based, sustainable management. Future efforts must focus on formalizing these spatial inventory findings into village zoning regulations and supporting BUMDes management to guarantee equitable]]>
