Mangroves Planting Program with EcoMatcher Inspires Villagers to Plant More Mangroves Trees

planting mangrove inspire more locals to plant more mangrove trees

planting mangrove in pati central java 

Pati Regency, located in northern Central Java, is one of the many mangrove-growing areas in Indonesia. This regency has approximately 8,000 hectares of potential mangrove areas. Nearly 25% of Pati’s total coastline was forested with mangroves. Unfortunately, the mangrove cover in this area is degraded and in poor condition.  In 2017, a survey in Pati showed that around 60% of mangrove cover had been lost in some districts.

Mangrove Cover in Poor Condition

Coastal erosion and land over-use are the most common causes of mangrove destruction in this area, making many mangrove areas become critical lands, including in Dukuhseti Village. Mangrove ecosystems play an important role in climate stabilization, coastal protection, biodiversity richness, local community’s economy, and supporting fishery.

Read also: Incredible Benefits of Mangrove Ecosystem

“In the past, our village had mangrove forests, but they were exposed to tremendous coastal erosion. After that, there was an expansion of the fishponds that cut down mangroves excessively. Consequently, now our village has no wave barriers around the coast,” said Mustofa, leader of the Tani Makmur farmer group in Dukuhseti Village.

Most of the villagers of Dukuhseti make their living as fish farmers and fishermen. They have fishponds near the coast. Their main products are tilapia and milkfish.

Mustofa said the most significant impact after the mangrove forest was drastically reduced is that now the village does not have any wave barriers, thus endangering small fishponds near the coast owned by local farmers.

“When the big waves come, our fishponds are often hit and destroyed by the waves. Big waves sometimes also bring runti pests (barnacles) in large numbers. They not only can injure fish farmers because they are sharp but also can infect young mangrove tree trunks,” Mustofa added.

planting mangroves in Pati Central Java

Planting Mangroves Program with Trees4Trees and EcoMatcher

When Trees4Trees and EcoMatcher came to Dukuhseti Village and invited them to join the mangrove tree planting program, Mustofa and other members of the Tani Makmur group welcomed the project enthusiastically.

“The community was very supportive and excited when they knew the program was being implemented in our village. We hope that many mangrove trees can be planted so that erosion can be prevented, and our fishponds can be protected from waves,” said Mustofa. In addition, mangroves also benefit fishermen because they do not have to go to sea far to catch fish. The fish become more abundant around mangroves.

planting mangroves in Pati Central Java

Since November 2021, Trees4Trees and EcoMatcher have planted 30,000 mangrove seedlings on the coast of Dukuhseti village in partnership with the fish farmers from the Tani Makmur farmer group. The mangroves planted covered an area of ​​3.8 hectares. The fish farmers are employed in producing seedlings, planting, and installing breakwater walls to protect the young seedlings.

“Before planting mangroves, the land was considered by the government to be critically degraded land. There were only a few mangrove trees left. We planted Avicennia and Rhizophora mangrove species because these two types were the original natural forest. We hope to restore the mangrove cover in this area completely,” Fauzan, Unit Manager of Trees4Trees Pati, said.

Inspire Local People to Plant More Mangrove Trees

Interestingly, the Trees4Trees and EcoMatcher mangrove planting program also inspires and motivates locals to plant more mangrove trees around the village coast. Shortly after the planting project with Trees4Trees and EcoMatcher was completed, the villagers planted mangrove trees voluntarily around the planting area. They sow the Avicennia seedlings directly on the shore and around the fishponds while the waves are low.  

planting mangroves in Pati Central Java

“Actually, some villagers whose ponds are close to the coast had planted mangroves voluntarily a long time ago. However, this program motivates and inspires more people to plant more mangroves. We think it is because people are starting to realize the importance of mangroves’ existence in the village,” said Mustofa. The villagers thank Trees4Trees and EcoMatcher for the mangroves planting program. They also hope to plant more mangroves in the future.

This year, Trees4Trees has been partnering with EcoMatcher for five years, a moment to celebrate! Both are keen on their commitment to supporting local communities and environmental restoration by planting trees. Trees4Trees and EcoMatcher use technology to monitor the locations of the planted trees. Anyone can visit the trees they have planted through the EcoMatcher website.  Each tree planted by Trees4Trees and EcoMatcher is recorded with the TreeCorder application developed by EcoMatcher. With this technology, anyone can track and plant trees via a smartphone and get information about the trees and the farmers who care for them.

Author: V. Arnila Wulandani

The Incredible Benefits of Mangroves Ecosystem

world mangrove day

world mangrove day

When you walk along the beach, have you ever seen trees which grow in the seawater? Those are mangrove trees. They are a type of tree that can tolerate saltwater. Mangroves can be found along the shores, rivers, and coastlines in tropical and subtropical countries around the world.  

Indonesia itself is a home for one of the largest mangrove populations in the world. The mangrove cover in Indonesia is estimated to be 3,2 million hectares or 22,4 percent of the total mangroves’ population in the world. So, when you travel to Indonesia, mangroves can be found on almost every one of the 17,000 islands.  

The mangrove ecosystem is commemorated internationally on 26 July every year as the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem or World Mangrove Day. This day marks the importance of mangrove ecosystems for the wellbeing, food security, protection of coastal communities, and mitigating climate crisis.  

The ecosystem affords significant contributions for nature and human beings. It is not only incredibly effective in sequestering carbon, stabilizing climate, and combating climate crisis, but also supporting coastal communities’ livelihood and biodiversity.  

Here are some remarkable benefits of mangroves we need to know and why we should protect and restore this species.  

Mangroves are A Very Important Carbon Sink 

Compared with other terrestrial forests, mangroves absorb vast amounts of carbon. Mangrove forests can store five times more carbon than a typical tropical forest. One-hectare mangroves can store up to 3.700 tons of carbon, which is equivalent to taking more than 2.650 cars off the road for a year.  

Mangroves are effectively absorbing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and mitigating the effects of climate change.  

Mitigate Coral Bleaching 

Coral bleaching is one of the devastating effects of climate change which causes coral to lose its color and turn white. When coral bleaching occurs, it disturbs the ocean ecosystem and can cause the death of entire coral reefs. Healthy mangrove forests can provide shelter for some coral species which are at risk. Mangrove forest also can reduce ocean acidification that can harm marine species such as mollusks, corals, and some varieties of plankton which are all important links in the worldwide food chain. 

Hotspot of Biodiversity and Nursery Ground 

Mangroves provide a home, nursery, and feeding ground for a wide range of animals, including fishes, birds, insects, reptiles, mammals, and various crustaceans like shrimps and crabs. Mangrove areas are also supplying organic and inorganic nutrients that are important for the species. In other words, mangroves are hotspots of biodiversity and form a healthy and rich ecosystem.  

Defense Against Floods, Waves, and Reduce Erosion 

Mangrove forests are effective in reducing strong wind and waves which pass through. They also act as a powerful coastal defense against storms, hurricanes, reducing the high waves and destructive tidal surge. The dense roots of mangroves are capable of binding and building soil which can slow down water flows and reduce erosion. 

Supporting Well-being and Livelihood for Coastal Communities 

Mangroves provide benefits for millions of people who live close to coastal areas with mangrove forests. Many of them rely on mangroves for food, wood, tourism, and enhance fishery productivity. 

Some mangroves’ species bear fruit which can be processed into flour, snacks, and other foods. Mangroves are also habitat for fishes and various crustaceans like shrimps and crabs which provide daily food and income for local communities.   

World mangrove day

Mangroves accommodate incredible benefits and impacts for nature and human beings. Sadly, mangroves have experienced loss and degradation worldwide, declining 30 to 50 percent in the past 50 years. In Indonesia mangrove forests are also in a significant level of degradation. About 52 thousand hectares of mangrove forests in Indonesia are lost every year.

Read also: Mangrove Planting Program with EcoMatcher Inspires Villagers to Plant More Mangrove Trees

In 2021, Trees4Trees planted 36.000 mangroves in 3.8-hectare mangrove as a pilot project in Pati, Central Java. In 2022 Trees4Trees will plant 100,000 more mangrove trees in this area. 

The loss of mangrove cover will bring serious negative impacts not only ecologically but also economically. Therefore, protecting and conserving mangrove ecosystems needs our collective efforts. You can also contribute to planting mangrove trees with us. Contact us to find out how to get involved! 

Happy International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem! 

Author: V. Arnila Wulandani