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Caring for mangroves is just as important as restoring them, experts say
Indonesia is betting big on mangrove restoration in its contribution to the global climate change mitigation, but experts say conservation will be just as essential if not more important in maximizing the role of mangroves in mitigating climate change
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Locals take part in the planting of mangrove seedlings in Marannu village in Maros regency, South Sulawesi on May 26. (Courtesy of/South Sulawesi provincial government)
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ndonesia is betting big on mangrove restoration in its contribution to global climate change mitigation, but experts say conservation will be just as essential if not more important in maximizing the role of mangroves in mitigating climate change.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is aiming to restore up to 600,000 hectares of mangroves by 2024, citing mangroves’ capacity to absorb more carbon than terrestrial forests thus strengthening the country’s commitment to reducing emissions under the Paris Agreement, among other ecological and economic benefits.
Jokowi put the Mangrove and Peatlands Restoration Agency (BRGM) at the helm of the initiative.
Restoring mangrove forests larger than the size of Bali island is a “laudable move”, but conservation is just as important due to the huge risk of mangrove deforestation, said Virni Budi Arifanti, a forestry researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency’s (BRIN) Research Center for Ecology and Ethnobiology.
Virni is an author of a study published in the Global Change Biology journal, in which she found that mangrove restoration efforts until 2030 could prevent the release of 8.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere per year.
But keeping existing ones intact could keep even up to 32 million tonnes from being emitted per year until 2030.
“We should not be struck by the euphoria of planting mangroves but forget to protect the existing ones,” Virni said on Aug. 31.
