BPDAS Mahakam Berau: Integrated Approach Required for Mangrove Rehabilitation

The Mahakam Berau Watershed Management Agency (BPDAS) has stated that mangrove rehabilitation must be carried out in an integrated manner by protecting existing habitats, restoring degraded areas, and involving various stakeholders to ensure sustainable ecological and socio-economic benefits.

“Rehabilitation is not just about restoration, but also about protecting existing habitats,” said the Acting Head of BPDAS Mahakam Berau, Indi Hendraswari, during the ‘Portrait and Transformation of East Kalimantan Mangroves with M4CR’ event in Samarinda on Thursday.

According to Hendraswari, such an approach is necessary because East Kalimantan has lost approximately 102,040 hectares, or 36.6 per cent, of its mangrove cover between 1994 and 2024. She explained that if abandoned shrimp pond scrubland is included, the contribution of aquaculture activities to mangrove deforestation reached approximately 91 per cent over the last three decades.

Furthermore, past rehabilitation experiences have shown that mangrove recovery is not always successful due to the use of unsuitable seedling species and approaches that remain project-oriented.

Based on the presented data, East Kalimantan possesses a mangrove ecosystem spanning 240,929 hectares across seven regencies and cities. The data also indicates that approximately 58,116 hectares of mangroves require rehabilitation.

To support these efforts, the East Kalimantan Provincial Government, alongside various stakeholders, is implementing the Mangroves for Coastal Resilience (M4CR) programme. This programme encompasses mangrove rehabilitation, strengthening governance, community engagement, and the development of eco-friendly aquaculture models through smart silvofishery.