Held on Nov. 3, the festival also served as part of the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of East Java province.

East Java boasts the largest mangrove forest area on the island of Java, covering 30,893 hectares. Over the past four years, mangrove forest cover has increased by 13 percent or approximately 3,618 ha, demonstrating the success of collaboration between the local government, the community and various stakeholders in preserving the coastal environment.

The Forestry Ministry continues to strengthen commitment through the Mangroves for Coastal Resilience (M4CR) program, which aims to address mangrove ecosystem degradation while increasing the resilience of coastal areas against the impacts of climate change. The program is currently implemented in four priority provinces: Riau, North Sumatra, East Kalimantan and North Kalimantan, with a rehabilitation target of 41,000 ha by 2027.

The festival featured various thematic activities focused on mangrove ecosystem preservation, including mangrove planting, waterbird releases, crab seed releases and education on the importance of mangroves in maintaining environmental balance. Additionally, an exhibition showcased mangrove-based processed products and coastal forest biodiversity conservation activities.

As part of the series of activities, the Mangrove Harmony Ride involved the Elders Elettrico electric motorcycle community, symbolizing the spirit of environmental conservation combined with increasing carbon reserves through mangrove planting and promoting an environmentally friendly lifestyle through electric motorcycles.

The event was attended by the East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa; director general of watershed management and forest rehabilitation Dyah Murtiningsih; and M4CR executive director Muhammad Zainal.

In her remarks, Khofifah expressed her appreciation for the synergy between the central government, regional governments and the community in preserving the coastal environment.

"The East Java provincial government is committed to preserving the mangrove ecosystem. Mangroves themselves can absorb four to five times more carbon than ordinary tropical forests. In the future, we will also plant the shrimp pine, which can live for hundreds of years," she said.

Meanwhile, Dyah emphasized the importance of involving all elements of society in mangrove rehabilitation efforts in Indonesia.

"Through the Mangrove Harmony Ride, we want to demonstrate that nature conservation can go hand in hand with innovation and modern lifestyles," she said, adding that the involvement of communities, young people and urban communities is key to the success of long-term conservation.

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