C. Java mangrove program failing

Reforestation of mangrove swamps along the north coast of Central Java has been ineffective in curbing seawater intrusion and preventing the coast from erosion, a conservationist says.

The coordinator of the Society for Health, Education, Environment and Peace (SHEEP) for Central Java, Muhammad Husaini, said only 20 percent of the entire mangrove trees planted could thrive.

Citing reforestation efforts by Pati regency, he said the efforts were ineffective, with officials failing to pay attention to the planting period.

“The most serious pitfall is the lack of maintenance after the seedlings were planted. Consequently, only 20 percent of the mangrove trees survived,” Husaini told The Jakarta Post recently.

The failure of the campaign was attributable to the fact that many of the reforestation programs were merely a front for vested financial interests.

The failure in the program has contributed to worsening conditions off the coast of Pati with seawater now intruding 20 kilometers inland in the past five years from 10 kilometers previously.

Tens of hectares of fish farms have also been destroyed.

“If the planting pattern is not improved, seawater intrusion and coastal abrasion will intensify in a relatively shorter period than before,” Husaini said.

The rapid pace of environmental degradation has been exacerbated by climate change.

“The most effective way to prevent remains the reforestation of mangrove swamps. However, this calls for a commitment from the government,” Husaini said, adding that the government would need to monitor and evaluate the program.

Semarang also faces similar problems. The executive director of the Bina Karta Lestari Foundation (Bintari), Feri Prihantoro, said mangrove planting carried out in the past several years was merely a formality given any lack of effort to maintain the mangroves in a sustainable manner by relevant agencies.

More than 300,000 mangrove trees have been planed along the coast since 2008.

“However, due to the lack of care, most of the plants died and were swept away by tides,” he said.