Enviro News Asia, North Kalimantan — In commemoration of World Wetlands Day 2026, Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry, Raja Juli Antoni, visited a mangrove rehabilitation site under the Mangroves for Coastal Resilience (M4CR) program in Liagu Village, North Kalimantan Province. Observed under the theme “Preserving Traditions for Sustainable Wetlands,” the visit underscored the government’s commitment to conserving mangrove ecosystems while respecting local community traditions.
The minister emphasized that mangrove degradation caused by human activities—such as illegal logging and land conversion for aquaculture, settlements, and industrial use—must be addressed through large-scale mangrove rehabilitation efforts. He stressed that restoring mangroves represents a long-term investment in coastal protection and community welfare.
Under the M4CR program, local communities actively participate in mangrove rehabilitation, from planting and maintenance to developing community-based livelihoods. In Liagu Village, a silvofishery approach has been implemented, integrating sustainable coastal aquaculture—such as shrimp, fish, and crab farming—with mangrove conservation.
Director General of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation Dyah Murtiningsih highlighted the critical role of mangroves as natural barriers protecting aquaculture ponds. She noted that maintaining ecological balance is essential to improving both productivity and quality in coastal aquaculture systems.
By 2025, the M4CR program had rehabilitated 6,543 hectares of mangroves in North Kalimantan. Nationally, the program operates across four priority provinces—Riau, North Sumatra, East Kalimantan, and North Kalimantan—with a target to restore up to 27,634 hectares by 2027 through strengthened implementation of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes.
The 2026 World Wetlands Day commemoration in North Kalimantan is expected to serve as a catalyst for reinforcing collective commitment to wetland conservation, enhancing coastal resilience, and improving community livelihoods through sustainable natural resource management. (*)
