Managing East Aceh's mangroves a dificult task<\/p>\n
LANGSA, Aceh (JP): It's never easy to manage natural
\nresources; balancing people's needs and the goals of
\nconservation.<\/p>\n
For the local administration of East Aceh, the question is how
\nto keep what's left of the regency's 75,000 hectares of mangrove
\nforests intact without taking away the only livelihood of the
\npeople living in the area.<\/p>\n
Mangrove forests grow along 165 kilometers of East Aceh's
\ntidal zone which borders the Strait of Malacca and North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Mangrove forests prevent coastal abrasion and saltwater
\nintrusion while protecting coastal seas from land pollution and
\nhigh winds. They are also the ideal sheltering place for various
\ntypes of fish.<\/p>\n
In East Aceh, however, the forests are now threatened by
\nthousands of kilns that use mangrove wood to produce export-
\nquality coal, and large coastal fish ponds, which are made by
\nclear-cutting mangrove forests.<\/p>\n
Jaswin Polim, the head of the local forestry office, admitted
\nin a recent interview that data on the rate of mangrove depletion
\nand the number of coal kilns and fish ponds in the area was
\ndeficient.<\/p>\n
The only certain information, he said, was that the fish ponds
\nand wood-cutting activities have so far depleted mangrove forests
\nby 27,000 hectares.<\/p>\n
He later hinted that something other than the issue of
\nconservation and people's welfare made his office uncertain about
\nhow to solve the problem.<\/p>\n
\"There is a government regulation which actually prohibits
\npeople from cutting mangrove wood for coal... But the local
\nadministration imposes a fee on the coal produced by the kilns --
\nwhich means the practice is considered legal,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Jaswin said there have been numerous efforts to close down the
\nkilns, but little progress has been made.<\/p>\n
\"The reality is that the people have been told to stop, but
\nthey won't. It's a culture they have had for hundreds of years,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Despite the seemingly solid bond between the local people and
\nthe coal business, Jaswin pointed out that the kilns, and the
\nfavorable prices mangrove coal on the world market, have never
\nincreased the locals' standard of living to a decent level.<\/p>\n
\"The people have never escaped poverty,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The construction of the kilns, he said, are financed by rich
\ncity people -- known as tauke -- who also pay the locals to cut
\nwood and operate the kilns.<\/p>\n
\"I have heard that there is actually an association of owners
\nof coal kilns. This means their actions are recognized and
\nsupported by the local administration,\" Jaswin said.<\/p>\n
But the forestry official refused to elaborate further,
\ninsisting it was \"not in his jurisdiction\".<\/p>\n
To solve the problem without touching on the \"sensitive issue\"
\ndisclosed by Jaswin, the local administration and the Ministry of
\nForestry's subsidiary, PT Inhutani IV, have resolved to start an
\nintegrated pond-mangrove project in Tanjung Keramat village, near
\nthe Telaga Muku river.<\/p>\n
Project<\/p>\n
Jaswin said the project will allow the people to continue
\nusing mangroves for their livelihood, without the worry that the
\nforests will be wiped out completely.<\/p>\n
Endro Siswoko, the manager of state-owned PT Inhutani IV's
\nEast Aceh sub-unit, explained that the \"silvo-fishery\" project
\naims to provide the locals with fishpond techniques that make use
\nof mangrove trees.<\/p>\n
In the long run, he said, it is expected to show that clear-
\ncutting mangrove forests causes more disadvantages than benefits.<\/p>\n
Endro pointed out that locals now have to travel three to four
\nhours in small motor boats and search deep into the forests to
\nfind the right sized mangrove trees for the coal kilns.<\/p>\n
\"Mangroves lining the outer side of the forests, which can be
\nseen from the river, are small and are only good for firewood,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, he added, coastal fishponds have also become
\nunproductive because the trees are rapidly disappearing.<\/p>\n
Inhutani is also replanting and \"patching up\" gaps in the
\ndepleted mangrove forests under an assignment from the Ministry
\nof Forestry.<\/p>\n
The assignment involves rehabilitating 12,400 hectares of
\nmangrove forests which had once been part of concessionaires
\nowned by PT Bakau Selat Malaka and PT Kabindo.<\/p>\n
The two private firms failed to manage the forests in an
\nenvironmentally-sustainable manner, causing the revocation of
\ntheir concessions in 1992. Inhutani took over in 1993.<\/p>\n
Endro said that in 1994\/1995 Inhutani replanted and patched
\n100 hectares of mangrove forests.<\/p>\n
He said that in both 1995\/1996 and 1996\/1997, Inhutani aims to
\nreplant 500 hectares. The project includes mangrove species
\nRhizophora apiculata, Bruguiera parviflora and Ceriops tagal.<\/p>\n
Endro said the rehabilitation project, which involves sowing
\nmangrove seeds, employs 100 villagers and gives them an
\nadditional income of Rp 5,000 (US$2.20) a day.<\/p>\n
He was reluctant to comment on the coal kilns, insisting that
\nInhutani's mission was only to provide the local people with an
\nalternative livelihood.<\/p>\n
\"That is the local administration's business. What Inhutani is
\nconcerned about is the conservation of the forests and ensuring
\nthe project benefits the people,\" he said. (pwn)<\/p>",
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