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AKARTA: Jenderal Soedirman University (Unsoed) in Purwokerto, Central Java, is to be developed into a referral center for mangrove management. The university will develop a draft mangrove conservation regulation in Cilacap, and also spatial data centering on the development of mangrove forest areas and preservation-based coastal community development.

Unsoed will also conserve the environment in Segara Anakan and hold scientific dissemination sessions as part of an international seminar about REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) and mangrove. Unsoed has also been appointed a mangrove forest center, which gives assistance to communities and related stakeholders in mangrove management.

Unsoed rector Edy Yuwono said that the involvement of Unsoed was in cooperation with the Office of the Coordinating People’s Welfare Minister, REDD+ taskforce and Save Indonesia Mangrove.

The campus will be involved in REDD+ activity, especially in mangrove forest areas and in relation to efforts to cut emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, conservation role improvement, forest management and forest carbon stock increase.

Edy told news portal kompas.com that the degradation level of mangrove forests had been recently increasing. Unsoed also saw minimal information on carbon dioxide absorption, a lack of comprehensive data on mangrove forest conditions and a lack of public awareness in relation to the importance of mangrove forests as all key factors.

Until now, there has been no specific regulation on mangrove conservation and human ecology in relation to forests. All these factors have lead to the rapid degradation of mangrove forests.