IPB Students Hold Mangrove Care Action
Mangrove forests are actually forests that have many benefits for society and the environment. The benefit is to prevent abrasion on the coast, as a wind break and tidal wave of air, as a place to live marine ecosystems, and also other benefits from the social and economic community. But mangrove forests are currently very alarming. A total of 1,817,999.93 hectares of mangrove forests in Indonesia. Mangrove forest damage which is a result of the function of mangrove forests becomes ponds and is also affected by projects that are not in accordance with coastal ecological factors.
Through the 2018 Tree Grower Community in Action (TIA) activity, the Silviculture Department Student Association, Bogor Agricultural Faculty (IPB) is trying to campaign for mangrove care. The TIA series includes essay competitions for high school students (SMA), mangrove planting activities, and national seminars.
The mangrove tree planting action was held on Saturday (9/22) at Geopark Ciletuh, Sukabumi, West Java. This action was followed by students, the general public, and mangrove activists in West Java. The national seminar was held on Sunday (30/9) at the Andi Hakim Nasoetion Auditorium, Dramaga IPB Campus. This national seminar has the theme "Community-Based Mangrove Forest Management for Sustainable Natural Potential."
Dean of the Faculty of Forestry of IPB, Dr. Ir. Rinekso Soekmadi, M.Sc., F.Trop., The word mangrove caring action must be received by all parties, because the mangrove forests in Indonesia are currently very damaged and even in some places have been lost. Not only that, this action must be appreciated because it has helped to make the community aware of the important things to protect the mangrove forest area.
"This mangrove forest is not much compared to inland forests in Indonesia. Hopefully only three million hectares, but the role of this mangrove forest is very significant for us. However, this mangrove caring action has received various kinds of parties in its evaluation of conserving mangrove forests, "Rinekso said.
According to him, the destruction of mangrove forests in Indonesia is getting worse and it is necessary to conduct conservation and restoration of mangrove forests. He hopes, to achieve this goal can be expanded and can allow various components of society to participate in maintaining the mangrove forest area.
Rector of IPB, Dr. Arif Satria was very involved in this mangrove caring action. He confirmed that the plantation area which has green mangrove trees is better known from areas where there are no mangrove forests.
"Mangrove forests are very safe and efficient. In the Pantura area, especially Pekalongan, if it is not done immediately, valuing mangroves, it is estimated that by 2030 there will be a rob flood along the four kilometers of the coastline, "said the Rector of IPB.
The Rector of IPB invited all parties from the community, academics, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), corporations, and the government to work together to conserve mangrove forests. In this case, the Rector of IPB gave an example in Demak, a community that specializes in conservation and mangrove forests. This community consists of NGOs and communities who work together to maintain the sustainability of mangrove forests.
In this national seminar, Prof. Dr. Ir. Cecep Kusmana, MS (Mangrove Expert Lecturer), Dr. Dana Budiman (General Manager of Ciletuh Geopark), Ir. Dian Novarina, M.Sc. (Deputy Director of Asia Pacific Resource International Limited, APRIL), Nurul Ikhsan, SE., MAP (Executive Director of Wahana Mangrove Indonesia Foundation), and Dr. Muhammad Firman (Director of Soil and Water Conservation, Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia). (NR)
