23 May 2023
OBI ISLAND, May 23, 2023 — Harita Nickel has consistently implemented Environment, Social and Government (ESG) principles through a mangrove rehabilitation program in South Halmahera, North Maluku. No doubt, commitment of this integrated nickel mining and downstream company group operating in Obi Island has drawn compliments.
Appreciation expressed by a team from Indonesia's Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs (Kemenko Marves), Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) and Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) during a working visit to Harita Nickel site in Kawasi Village, Obi District, South Halmahera, on Saturday-Sunday, May 20-21, 2023.
Fatma Puspitasari, Coordinator of Forest Utilization and Conservation Control of Kemenko Marves, said visit was conducted by a team of three ministries in order to monitor and evaluate the Joint Memorandum of Understanding (NKB) and Cooperation Agreement (PKS) Mangrove Rehabilitation to support the national target of 600,000 ha of mangrove land by 2024.
Fatma expressed her appreciation to PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk (PT TBP), Harita Nickel's business entity as a mandated holder of the National Strategic Project (PSN) Obi Industrial Estate, which has implemented a partnership program with the government through social and environmental responsibility schemes.
In fact, she emphasized, PT TBP had carried out similar activities prior to the NKB and PKS signing of mangrove rehabilitation with Coordinating Ministry of Marves on November 17, 2022. Since 2021, she added, the company has partnered with Khairun University of Ternate to carry out a series of mangrove plantation and rehabilitation activities by empowering local communities.
According to her, such mangrove rehabilitation and various environmental conservation programs that have been carried out by the company serve as proof of Harita Nickel's commitment to sustainable business governance in accordance with ESG principles.
"Of course this is also an added value for PT TBP as a public company," she said.
Appreciation is also expressed to all companies in the Harita Nickel business unit that have implemented Community Development and Empowerment (PPM) programs to encourage economic self-sufficiency of their surrounding communities.
Restoration Coordinator of Coastal and Small Island Utilization Directorate (P4K) at Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), Hery Gunawan Daulay emphasized on the importance of mangroves for marine ecology. He said mangroves function as a buffer zone to protect coastal areas from damage.
"If we want to see fish and marine biota grow well, of course we need to maintain marine ecology by maintaining coastal ecosystems. The abundance of fish and marine life can be utilized economically by people, of course, in moderation," he explained.
Furthermore, he encourages that Harita Nickel's mangrove rehabilitation program can continue so that more mangrove land can be added from year to year.
"We encourage companies to preserve coastal ecosystems in various ways. Not only mangroves, but also coral reefs and seagrasses. We saw its seagrass potential is also quite high," he said while monitoring mangrove planting sites in the coastal area of Soligi Village, Obi Subdistrict.
Meanwhile, Environmental Marine Compliance Manager of Harita Nickel, Windy Prayogo said mangrove rehabilitation program as part of social and environmental responsibility, consistently carried out by the company until now.
He explained, total land that has been planted mangroves as of early 2023 is 23.73 ha with a total of mangroves that have been planted at least 40 thousand seedlings. The mangrove rehabilitation program is spread across four locations in South Halmahera Regency, including Soligi Village in Obi Subdistrict, Awango and Belang-Belang Villages in Bacan Subdistrict and Guruapin Village in Kayoa Subdistrict.
Director of Health, Safety and Environment Harita Nickel Tonny H Gultom explained, mangrove rehabilitation activities aim to preserve coastal ecosystems so that they can provide benefits for both environment and society.
According to Tonny, collaboration of many parties is needed to succeed the program. Therefore, Harita Nickel collaborates with academics and government, while empowering local communities in nursery activities, planting and self-supporting monitoring of mangrove conditions on the ground.
"We hope that mangrove forests that have been successfully rehabilitated will become a source of livelihood and welfare for the community," Tonny said.
In addition to mangrove rehabilitation, company also makes various efforts to preserve marine ecology. The marine monitoring program includes monitoring of seawater quality, marine sediment quality, and marine biota including plankton, benthos, coral reefs and reef fish. He emphasized that this program is supported by sea monitoring vehicles and equipment with proven technology.
He added that the company, which has been officially listed on Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) through its entity PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk (NCKL), in early April achieved compliance status for its environmental management and monitoring from the North Maluku Provincial Environmental Agency.
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