ITB Coastal Care Team Planted 400 Mangrove in Cemoro Sewu Beach
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id — Mangrove forest in Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest. However, mangrove forest destruction can reach 700 hectares a day. This is caused by land use shift, abrasion, and excessive wood exploitation. With that background in mind, students from Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) formed the Coastal Care Team to provide community services for the people of Degayu Subdistrict. The planting of 300 mangrove seeds of the Rhizopora genus and 100 seeds of the Bruguiera genus were accomplished on Friday (17/6) at the Cemoro Sewu Beach.
Mangrove itself has a multitude of values. Its wood can be used as building material, its roots as salt filtration system to reduce seawater salinity, its fruit can be processed into flour, syrup, crisps, and for the Rhizopora type, as a natural coloring. “We wish that Pekalongan batik can use these colorings instead, so that it won’t pollute our rivers,” suggested Eni, the Head Division of Environmental Pollution and Degradation Control, Pekalongan City’s Department of Environment.
One of Degayu’s environmental watchers, Amy Hanan, has spent decades of her time and energy planting mangrove. Her actions could provide natural strongholds to prevent the damages caused by coastal floods engulfing the northern shores of the Batik City.
She hoped to give her descendants fresh air to breathe in, a healthy environment, and a clean beach. “Nature might be destroyed by the natural cycles, but also through the evil tendencies of men. As a part of the community, we must love and take care of nature, as we are the one who is dependent on it,” remarked Amy.
The mangrove planting activity also involved other groups, such as the Indonesian Nature Enthusiast Community, Pekalongan City’s Department of Environment, and the people of Degayu Subdistrict. Nana, one of Pekalongan 3 High School students, expressed her eagerness on participating in this program. “I can practice planting mangrove, while also raising awareness about the vital problems existing in my community,” she declared.
On Friday (24/6), Coastal Care Team perpetuated the desalination device and seawater filter creation training, as well as socializing community adaptation strategies to face coastal floods in North Pekalongan. These efforts were received positively by the local municipality.
Reporter: Maharani Rachmawati Purnomo (Oceanography, 2020)
Translator: Firzana Aisya (Bioengineering, 2021)
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