10 December 2022
Halmahera Selatan - HARITA Nickel in collaboration with the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science (FPIK) Khairun University Ternate North Maluku has been consistent in mangrove rehabilitation efforts on the coast of Soligi Village, Obi Island, South Halmahera. More than just planting, the mangrove ecosystem is also maintained with regular monitoring, preserving the planted and replanting seedlings.
Replanting is about replacing a dead mangrove seedling with a new one. This activity is carried out by involving and empowering local community groups. This effort is expected to continue to have a major impact and benefit, both ecologically for the environment, and socio-economically for the surrounding community in a long-term period.
In the monitoring and seedling replanting activity carried out on Thursday (08/11), 70 replanting trees were planted to replace damaged seedlings from 24,575 seedlings planted due to waves and currents. The replanting was done using round bamboo to protect the seedlings. Prior to using bamboo, the survival rate of seedlings planted since August 2022 was only 49 percent. After using bamboo in October, the rate of seedling survival rose to 73 percent.
Monitoring and replanting activities are a manifestation of HARITA Nickel's seriousness in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mangrove rehabilitation activities as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program initiated by the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Through the business unit of PT Trimegah Bangun Persada, HARITA Nickel signed the MoU on November 17, 2022 in Bali and is committed to jointly supporting cooperation in expanding the area, quality of mangrove rehabilitation and community empowerment to support compliance with the national target of 600,000 ha (Perpres 120/2020).
Director of Health, Safety and Environment Harita Nickel Tonny H Gultom explained, the objective to be achieved from this activity is to continue to maintain the ecosystem and mangrove forest resources in Obi Island on an ongoing basis, and engage many parties in the project. According to Tonny, collaboration of many parties is needed to succeed the mangrove rehabilitation program. Therefore, HARITA Nickel collaborates with academics and the government, as well as empowering the surrounding community in nursery activities, planting and monitoring mangrove conditions independently in the ground. " We hope that mangrove forests rehabilitated successfully will become a source of livelihood and welfare for the community," said Tonny.
Meanwhile, Dean of FPIK Khairun University Dr. Janib Ahmad explained that the coastal ecosystem in Soligi Village, especially mangroves, currently has a huge potential for blue carbon reserves, which is a natural carbon sink and store whose capacity exceeds mainland tropical forests. "One mangrove leaf can attract five to seven times the blue carbon emissions. This means that 1 ha of mangroves, with 40 percent cover, can attract 1000 tons of blue carbon. So, in 20 ha of mangroves, it can attract 20,000 tons of blue carbon," Janib explained.
In the last two years, the total area of mangrove land rehabilitated by HARITA Nickel has reached 22.49 ha across Obi Island and Bacan Island, South Halmahera.
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