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Buleleng coastal rehabilitation needed
Alam Indonesia Lestari Foundation along with hundreds of volunteers joined hands to clean up coastal areas in Buleleng to mark Environment Day and World Ocean Day
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lam Indonesia Lestari Foundation along with hundreds of volunteers joined hands to clean up coastal areas in Buleleng to mark Environment Day and World Ocean Day.
Putu Widyastuti, the foundation's program manager, told The Jakarta Post on the sidelines of the event Tuesday morning that the activities were aimed mainly at improving the coastal areas as well as helping communities living in impoverished villages.
The beach clean-up programs took place in Singaraja, Tejakula and Gerokgak villages.
During the event, foundation members and volunteers also installed artificial reef nurseries to rehabilitate destroyed coral reefs and underwater conditions.
"These activities will have positive multiple impacts on marine conservation and coastal communities." Widyastuti said.
She added that many factors led to the deterioration of coral reefs and marine life.
"Their key role in the marine ecosystem has been diminished due to much pressure and external factors."
Rehabilitation of coral reefs is urgently needed to return its natural function as the home of marine life.
Experts say the installation of artificial shrimp ponds and artificial reefs would gradually build new habitat for fish and other marine creatures.
Artificial reefs would provide new homes for reef fish, and the large surface area would provide space for new coral growth.
The foundation says the artificial reefs are locally produced, providing added income for local people.
The material used for their production is also sourced locally, and reportedly does not damage to the environment.
The reefs were installed at a depth of between 3 to 10 meters.
"We have installed more than 50 artificial reefs in Tejakula, Taman Sari and Patas village," she said.
To accelerate coral growth, the foundation also transplanted various coral species including acropora, pocillopora and montipora, living in Buleleng waters.
"These are the fastest growing species," Widyastuti said.
She added that the community's involvement to care for the marine ecosystem was key to ensuring that the rehabilitation program ran smoothly.
In the end, she said, local fishermen and communities would benefit from the coral reef rehabilitation program.
"When we have healthy marine conditions, fish and other marine animals will come back. Therefore, fishermen don't have to go far to fish."
The foundation organized various activities, including coral and coastal rehabilitation programs and a series of campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of improving coastal areas and marine conditions.
