VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

An aerial view of a mangrove forest in Indonesia. (photo: ANTARA/HO-KKP)

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has set a target to rehabilitate 200 ha of mangrove forests in several coastal regions across Indonesia this year.

KKP planned to improve the condition of the mangrove ecosystem by planting mangrove trees in 200-hectare areas in 12 locations across the country in 2020, Aryo Hanggono, KKP's Director General of Marine Space Management (PRL), said in a statement in Jakarta on Sunday.

"One of the priority locations is in East Lampung with planned planting areas covering 40 hectares, namely in Margasari Village and Sriminosari Village," he noted.

The other locations are North Aceh, Belitung, West Pasaman, South Pesisir, Cirebon, Rembang, Sampang, Probolinggo, Lamongan, Menpawah, and Kupang.

Rehabilitation of mangrove plants is aimed to ward off abrasion and improve marine ecosystems.

In addition, the locations are also expected to become ecotourism areas that can provide alternative livelihoods for coastal communities.

Based on the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), the ministry has been mandated to carry out coastal rehabilitation efforts through mangrove tree planting in a total of 1,800 ha areas by 2024.

The ministry also plans to develop mangrove paths and learning centers for coastal ecosystem restoration in 10 districts and cities in 2021.

Meanwhile, Director of Coastal and Small Islands Utilization Muhammad Yusuf highlighted that mangrove forests could store abundant blue carbon reserves, in addition to their main function as a coastal buffer system from abrasion due to waves and rising sea levels.

"Indonesia is home to 23 percent of the world's mangroves. Mangroves play an important role as a global carbon controller and an important ecosystem controlling marine ecosystems," he said.

Based on the ministry's data, mangrove forests in Indonesia cover 3.49 million hectares totally, but 52 percent or 1.82 million hectares of them are in damaged condition.

He called on the community to protect mangroves, to use the mangrove ecosystem in a wise manner, and to maintain its sustainability because the mangrove ecosystem is very vulnerable and the ecosystem is limited. (ANTARA)