R

eal Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo has agreed to champion the conservation of mangroves in Indonesia, according to the Artha Graha Peduli Foundation.

Ronaldo has been named the ambassador for the Bali-based Forum Peduli Mangrove or Mangrove Care Forum.

The Forum, which will be launched in the next two months, aims to raise public awareness of the importance of conserving mangrove forests, encourage community action to clean and preserve them, and restore the biodiversity of the mangrove ecosystem.

Ronaldo’s appointment as mangrove ambassador was sealed at a meeting in Madrid on March 8 between Cristiano and conservationist Tomy Winata on the sidelines of the 56th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the central policymaking body of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Tomy is known as the founder of the Tambling Wildlife Nature Conservation (TWNC), a conservation and rehabilitation sanctuary covering over 44,500 hectares of land and 14,500 hectares of sea on the southern tip of Sumatra.

Ronaldo has helped Real Madrid advance to the Champions League quarterfinals at the expense of his former club Manchester United.