Enviro News Asia, Denpasar – One hundred young forest conservation ambassadors supported by Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry participated in the national commemoration of World Mangrove Day 2026 in Bali, reinforcing youth engagement in protecting mangrove ecosystems and promoting long-term coastal sustainability.
The event took place at Batu Lumbang Mangrove Ecotourism Park and Ngurah Rai Grand Forest Park (Tahura Ngurah Rai) in Denpasar. It was jointly organized by the Ministry of Forestry and the Ministry of Environment/Environmental Control Agency (KLH/BPLH) under the theme, “Protecting Mangroves, Securing Future Generations.”
The participants consisted of members of the Bali Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA Bali) youth development program, including Saka Wanabakti members, environmental youth communities, and conservation partners. Their participation reflects the ministry’s commitment to empowering young people as future leaders in forest and environmental conservation.
During the event, Deputy Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki highlighted Indonesia’s position as home to approximately 3.45 million hectares of mangrove ecosystems, representing about 23 percent of the world’s total mangrove coverage. He emphasized that preserving mangroves is essential not only for protecting coastal areas from erosion and climate change but also for conserving biodiversity, storing blue carbon, and supporting coastal livelihoods.
Rohmat called on young people to become active agents of change rather than passive observers, stressing that today’s youth will play a decisive role in safeguarding Indonesia’s mangrove ecosystems for future generations.
The Ministry of Forestry continues to strengthen youth participation through its Forest Conservation Youth Development Center (Pusgenri), which provides conservation education, ecosystem rehabilitation activities, leadership development, and networking opportunities for young environmental advocates across the country.
One of the highlights of the celebration was the symbolic handover of mangrove seedlings to I Dewa Ayu Agung Pradnyanita, a representative of the Forest Conservation Youth Generation (Genries) and a conservation volunteer mentored by BKSDA Bali. The ceremony symbolized the ministry’s confidence in the younger generation to lead future mangrove conservation efforts.
In addition to mangrove planting, the event featured technical workshops on mangrove restoration, documentary film launches, podcasts, multi-stakeholder discussions, talk shows, and a national dialogue on mangrove protection and management. The activities aimed to strengthen cross-sector collaboration while inspiring greater public participation in safeguarding Indonesia’s coastal ecosystems.
The Ministry of Forestry stated that involving young people in World Mangrove Day 2026 demonstrates that successful mangrove rehabilitation depends not only on restoration efforts but also on nurturing a generation equipped with the knowledge, commitment, and leadership needed to protect Indonesia’s natural heritage. (*)
