Community Groups Drive Mangrove Revival in East Kalimantan
- 01 Agt 2026 22:57 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Poin Utama
- Thirty-four forest farmer groups (KTH) are leading community-driven mangrove rehabilitation under the Mangroves for Coastal Resilience (M4CR) program.
- Local farmers in Kutai Kartanegara, supported by the World Bank, are actively accelerating structured mangrove planting.
- The World Bank-backed M4CR initiative addresses severe mangrove degradation caused by pond conversions across East Kalimantan.
RRI.CO.ID, Samarinda – The Indonesian Ministry of Forestry is enlisting local communities to restore coastal ecosystems, involving 34 forest farmer groups (KTH) in the Mangroves for Coastal Resilience (M4CR) program across the Mahakam Delta, East Kalimantan.
Since 2024, community participation has helped rehabilitate 6,120 hectares of mangroves, with the target set at 6,486 hectares by 2026. Early efforts focused on Anggana, Muara Badak, and Muara Jawa in Kutai Kartanegara, while upcoming planting will expand to Berau, Kutai Timur, Paser, and the new capital Nusantara.
Provincial Project Implementation Unit Manager Asman Azis said community involvement is crucial, as mangrove rehabilitation directly benefits coastal residents by protecting shorelines, sustaining fisheries, storing carbon, and improving livelihoods.
In Sepatin village, 14 farmer groups have been planting and maintaining mangroves since 2024.
Head of KTH Mangrove Borneo, Andi Firmansyah, noted that M4CR support has accelerated their efforts. His 15‑member group has planted 64,000 seedlings across 70 hectares, with plans to rehabilitate 199 hectares of former shrimp ponds in 2026.
East Kalimantan hosts 240,929 hectares of mangroves, but 58,116 hectares are degraded, largely due to conversion into aquaculture.
Acting head of the Mahakam Berau Watershed Agency, Indri Hendraswari, said rehabilitation is vital to restore balance. Current coverage includes 193,380 hectares of dense mangroves, 33,985 hectares in moderate condition, and 13,563 hectares sparsely covered.
Supported by the World Bank, the M4CR program has received strong community response, with residents actively planting and maintaining mangroves.
Officials emphasized that restoring mangroves not only strengthens coastal resilience but also supports national climate goals and improves the welfare of fishing and farming communities. ***
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