Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — As part of the 2025 Forest and Land Rehabilitation (RHL) Fair, the Ministry of Forestry reaffirmed the importance of the M4CR (Mangroves for Coastal Resilience) program as a concrete example that environmental rehabilitation not only protects nature but also improves community welfare.
M4CR aims to safeguard coastal ecosystems through mangrove rehabilitation across various provinces in Indonesia. But the benefits go beyond that. Mangroves also provide direct economic and social impacts for local communities.
“M4CR proves that mangrove rehabilitation brings double benefits: protecting coastlines while opening new sources of livelihood. Rehabilitation is not only about planting trees but also planting hope,” said Director General of Watershed Control and Forest Rehabilitation (PDASRH) Dyah Murtiningsih during a media briefing held as part of the RHL Fair 2025 on Wednesday (Aug 20).
The tangible impacts of M4CR can also be seen ecologically, as mangroves protect coastlines from abrasion, storms, and seawater intrusion, while serving as major carbon sinks.
Economically, communities gain additional income through integrated shrimp and fish farming (silvofishery), mangrove ecotourism, and value-added products such as syrup, batik, and natural dyes. Socially, M4CR involves communities from planning to utilization, fostering a sense of ownership and collective responsibility.
Furthermore, Dyah explained that the 2025 RHL Fair serves as a platform to showcase rehabilitation products, including M4CR innovations.
Through this marketplace, people can directly see how protecting nature can go hand in hand with strengthening the local economy.
The government hopes for continued support from communities, media, and the private sector so that programs like M4CR can gain wider recognition, secure sustainable markets, and deliver broader benefits.
“The RHL Fair is the showcase, M4CR is the proof. Together, let us preserve mangroves, protect our coasts, and improve community welfare,” Dyah concluded. (*)
