Head of the BRGM's Kalimantan and Papua mangrove rehabilitation working team, Agung Rusdiyatmoko, said that West Papua province is among the nine provinces prioritized in the mangrove restoration project.
"We hope the mangrove restoration will have a positive impact on restoring mangrove ecology from further damage and providing economic benefits to locals, particularly amid the economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic," he added.
The agency has cooperated with the regional Remu Ransiki Watershed and Protected Forest Management Office in its efforts to restore mangrove forests in West Papua, he said.
Out of the 37 public communities involved in the restoration effort, the Usuly public community in Sorong district and the Awandaroi farming community in Teluk Bintuni district have completed mangrove planting in the areas assigned to them, Rusdiyatmoko informed.
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Usuly public community head Ninrrod Keramu said that the community had planted mangrove trees over 120 hectares of land assigned to the community, and the mangrove planting program had brought economic advantage for the 89 members of the community.
"The agency's mangrove planting program has enhanced the village economy, as our wage from the project could be used to purchase fishing equipment, motorcycles for our transportation, and our daily needs," Keramu added.
The community head said that locals welcomed the mangrove rehabilitation program by actively participating and providing assistance in addressing the mangrove sapling supply issue for the land assigned for mangrove plantation.
Meanwhile, Awandaroi farming community member Linda Wonopka said that mangrove planting works over 50 hectares of land had elevated the livelihood of the 40 members of the community.
Bintuni residents are enthusiastic about joining the BRGM program and actively participate in maintaining the mangrove trees, she added. (
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Translator: Subagyo, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
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