Sowing Hope in Mangroves

Muhamad Isnaini stepped over mounds of coral as the sea slowly receded due to the earth’s rotation and the moon’s gravitational pull in Labuhan Alas Village, Alas District, Sumbawa Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. His hands occasionally touched the leaves of two-metre-high mangrove trees growing between houses and fishponds, before he began explaining the various benefits of the plants for the environment and the lives of coastal communities. “Mangrove roots, especially from the Rhizophora species, are used by the community as an ingredient to make Minyak Sumbawa,” said the 53-year-old, during mangrove planting activities in Sumbawa on 7 July 2026. Minyak Sumbawa is a traditional herbal remedy from West Nusa Tenggara made from dozens of forest tree roots and coconut milk. The oil is useful for massage, relieving muscle pain, overcoming itching, and healing wounds. Isnaini, the Coordinator of the Sumbawa Mangrove Community, also recounted that a grilled fish dish with a sour flavour called Sepat Sumbawa also uses Rhizophora mangrove roots. Unlike Minyak Sumbawa, which utilises old mangrove roots, Sepat Sumbawa uses young roots that are still soft and have not yet touched the ground. These roots are processed into a spice that gives the traditional dish its distinctive taste. The local community’s life, intertwined with mangroves, shows that the coastal ecosystem is not merely a natural fortress but also part of cultural identity and a source of livelihood. Beyond their economic and cultural benefits, mangroves play a much larger ecological role. Mangrove forests serve as a habitat for various species of fish, shrimp, crabs, and shellfish that provide a livelihood for fishermen. The dense mangrove roots also function as a nursery ground for marine biota before they migrate to deeper waters. Since 2014, the Sumbawa Mangrove Community, consisting of 100 members, has been planting mangroves along the coastal areas of Sumbawa Regency. This action aims to improve the condition of the coastal environment. The expansion of cornfields, which has encroached into forest areas, has impacted the coastal regions. Chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides are washed away by rain into lowlands and rivers, eventually flowing into the sea, damaging coral reefs and poisoning fish. Small-scale fishermen who lack fishing gear are the most vulnerable group when the coastal ecosystem is damaged. They must sail much further to catch fish. Mangrove trees growing along the coast act as a filter for these harmful chemicals—the result of extractive agricultural activities—preventing them from polluting the sea. For coastal residents, the act of planting mangrove seedlings carries a substantive meaning regarding efforts to preserve cultural heritage, protect livelihoods, and contribute to climate change mitigation. Minister of Environment Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat stated that mangrove trees can absorb five times more carbon than terrestrial tropical forests. Carbon is stored not only in the trunks and leaves but also accumulates in the muddy soil layers for decades to hundreds of years. Mangrove rehabilitation is a key element in ecosystem-based climate change risk reduction. The Ministry of Environment is promoting a national ecological repentance movement through mangrove rehabilitation, considering Indonesia’s status as a maritime nation. This strategic step is necessary to face the various challenges arising in coastal areas. The threat of climate change causes sea-level rise, ocean acidification, and coral reef destruction, which greatly impacts an archipelagic country. Mangrove trees, with their very strong root systems, are able to protect the land from abrasion, absorb wave and storm energy, reduce seawater intrusion onto land, and even withstand the force of a tsunami.