Save mangrove forests: Official<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Forestry and Plantations has
\ncalled on the private sector to help protect mangrove forests in
\nthe Muara Angke reserves in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Besides providing a natural habitat for marine biota, shrimps,
\nfish and crustaceans, mangrove trees are essential for the
\nprotection of coastlines against sea erosion, Secretary-general
\nSudarsono said during a ceremony which marked the planting of 500
\nmangrove trees in Muara Angke on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\"We can't replace mangroves with other trees because it is the
\nonly plant suitable for the coastal area,\" Sudarsono said.<\/p>\n
The replanting program was sponsored by General Electric
\nIndonesia in cooperation with the Jakarta-based Biological
\nScience Club (BScC) and the Natural Resources Conservation Agency
\nof the Ministry of Forestry and Plantations.<\/p>\n
Sudarsono said he hoped other parties would join similar
\nprograms in the future.<\/p>\n
The Muara Angke mangrove forests have been under serious
\nthreat with a great deal of domestic and industrial waste
\ndischarged into Jakarta's rivers finding its way to the area. The
\nputrid odor from the water in the area is testimony to the sad
\ncondition of Muara Angke.<\/p>\n
\"We urge Jakarta residents, especially factory owners, not to
\ndischarge their waste before it is treated,\" Sudarsono said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's mangrove forests have dwindled to less than two
\nmillion hectares from 4.25 million in 1982, causing more abrasion
\nand danger to biota living in the area, he said.<\/p>\n
Many of these forests have given way to housing and industrial
\nareas, or for shrimp and fish cultivation. Some were arbitrarily
\nslashed by people for firewood, he said.<\/p>\n
General Electric Indonesia is not the first to launch a
\ncampaign to save the Muara Angke mangrove forests.<\/p>\n
Trees planted in one campaign, involving several universities
\nin Jakarta in October, seemed to be growing well, Iwan
\nKrishnamurti of the Biological Science Club (BScC) said.<\/p>\n
For a city of 8.4 million people, Jakarta's forestry area only
\ncovers about 7 percent of its 661.62 square kilometers of total
\narea. All the forests, including protected forests, wildlife
\nreserves and national parks, are located in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The Muara Angke reserve, located in the Angke River's estuary,
\ncovers a total of 25.35 hectares of land. It is administratively
\npart of Kapuk Muara, Penjaringan district, in North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The reserve shares borders with Pantai Indah Kapuk housing
\ncomplex in the south and the west; the Angke river in the east;
\nand the Angke Kapuk protected forest in the north.<\/p>\n
Iwan said that ideally, mangrove trees should cover 75 percent
\nof the total reserve area, compared to less than 50 percent at
\npresent.<\/p>\n
A mangrove tree takes approximately five years to grow, while
\nreplanting has an average success rate of 75 percent, he said.
\n(04)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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