Ecological Character Education for Sustainable Road Development: Strategies for Integrating Green Infrastructure in Indonesia

Abstract

Road infrastructure development is essential for improving regional connectivity and economic growth; however, it remains dominated by conventional gray infrastructure approaches that often overlook ecological sustainability. Although sustainable infrastructure has been widely investigated, limited studies have examined how ecological character education can strengthen environmentally responsible planning among infrastructure stakeholders. This study aimed to (1) examine the educational dimensions of ecological character among stakeholders involved in road infrastructure planning, (2) identify the internal and external factors influencing ecological character development, and (3) formulate education-based strategies using SWOT analysis. A descriptive-analytical mixed-methods case study was conducted along the Kepanjen–Pagak Road Section, Malang Regency, Indonesia. Data were collected from purposively selected government officials, planning consultants, academics, infrastructure practitioners, and community representatives through interviews, field observations, questionnaires, and document analysis. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, while quantitative data were analyzed using IFAS, EFAS, SWOT, and QSPM. The findings indicate that ecological character development is influenced by environmental literacy, stakeholder collaboration, institutional commitment, and participatory planning but remains constrained by conventional gray infrastructure practices and weak cross-sectoral coordination. The IFAS score of 2.72 and EFAS score of 2.82 positioned the study in Quadrant I, indicating strong internal capacity and favorable external opportunities to strengthen ecological character through education-oriented strategies. This study extends ecological character education beyond formal educational settings by integrating it into infrastructure governance and professional practice. It also proposes a SWOT-based framework that supports stakeholder capacity building, sustainability competency development, and environmentally responsible road infrastructure planning.