Ministry of Forestry to rehabilitate 6,486 hectares of mangroves in East Kalimantan

The Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, through the World Bank-funded Mangroves for Coastal Resilience (M4CR) programme, is rehabilitating mangrove areas in East Kalimantan Province with a 2026 planting target of 6,486 hectares, in order to keep nature sustainable.

“The World Bank-funded mangrove planting is being carried out by the Directorate of Watershed Management and Forest Rehabilitation (PDASRH) through M4CR,” said Irwan Gunawan, Assistant for Self-Reliant Mangrove-Conscious Villages (DMPM), representing M4CR East Kalimantan, in Samarinda on Saturday.

He explained that of the 38 community groups (pokmas) implementing the rehabilitation of 6,486 hectares of mangrove land this year, two pokmas are currently in the process of planting 151 hectares, having previously signed cooperation agreements (SPKS).

Meanwhile, 24 pokmas are preparing for rehabilitation, having only signed SPKS with M4CR in Samarinda two days earlier (Thursday, 27/8), making them officially bound by responsibility to complete mangrove planting work covering 1,276 hectares.

He noted that the 24 pokmas that had just signed the agreements come from three sub-districts in Kutai Kartanegara Regency. The SPKS signed is a Type IV Self-Managed SPKS, specifically for the mangrove planting programme.

Irwan continued that this SPKS is an important stage to begin the execution of planting as previously planned, as the 2026 M4CR East Kalimantan mangrove rehabilitation work target.

“Before the SPKS signing was carried out, price and work negotiations were first held. The negotiations were conducted by the Commitment-Making Officer (PPK) III for the East Kalimantan Region,” he said.

In addition to the negotiations and SPKS signing, all pokmas also received briefings from law enforcement officials (APH), specifically regarding the mechanism for implementing and accounting for Type IV self-managed grant funds and the legal aspects that need to be understood to avoid potential criminal offences.