Indonesia Lost 40% of Its Mangroves Over Three Decades

Indonesia has lost around 40 per cent of its mangrove forests over the last three decades, according to Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono. Speaking at the World Mangrove Day event at the Ngurah Rai Forest Park in Denpasar, the minister stated that the rate of damage stands at approximately 52,000 hectares per year, with about 19.2 per cent of mangroves now in critical condition. The total mangrove area has shrunk from 4.2 million hectares in the 1980s to 3.3 million hectares today, despite mangroves playing a vital role as coastal protectors, habitats for marine life, and significant carbon sinks that support fisheries productivity and community livelihoods. Degradation and abrasion were cited as the main causes of the loss, alongside exponential human population growth. The minister stressed that restoration is the only solution and must be based on ecological suitability to truly restore ecosystem functions, rather than just planting activities. He affirmed the ministry’s commitment to synergising with all stakeholders to protect, restore, and manage Indonesia’s mangrove ecosystems. In a related initiative, 15,000 Rhizophora mucronata seedlings were planted at the Batu Lumbang Mangrove Ecotourism area within the Ngurah Rai Forest Park by PT PLN Indonesia Power, a subsidiary of the state electricity company. Senior Manager I Made Harta Yasa said the planting aims to strengthen mangrove conservation and boost the local economy, expressing hope that the area would become a community-based mangrove conservation learning centre in Bali.