PEKALONGAN – Rohani Islam (Rohis) SMAN 1 Wiradesa held a nature caring event by planting mangroves and cleanup the beach in Pecakaran Village, Wonokerto District, Pekalongan Regency, Saturday (9/9/2023). This mangrove planting and beach cleanup activity covers 300-meter coastal area of Pecakaran Village, which is the work area of the BINTARI Foundation's Environmental Disaster Response and Recovery Program (TANGGUH)
This mangrove planting action was attended by 50 participants, consisting of 25 high school students, members of the Pecakaran Village Climate Change Working Group (POKJA) and general community. This action began with a short ceremony led by the Chair of the POKJA. Participants got an explanation about the types of mangroves that would be planted and the planting procedures. Then, participants divided into several groups to determine the planting locations.
This activity succeeded in planting 10,000 mangrove seeds consisting of three types, namely Avecennia Marina, Sonneratia Alba, and Sonneratia Casiolaris. Apart from planting mangroves, this action also succeeded in collecting 15 kg of waste, both organic and inorganic.
TANGGUH Program Project Officer, Amalia Al Khasanah, said that this planting action was the first step to protect the coast from erosion by waves. Coastal erosion makes a lot of land inundated and cannot be used for fish cultivation. Beach cleanup is carried out so that the garbage could not disturb the planted mangroves. She added that the aim of this action was to educate the public, including youth and students, about the importance of preserving mangroves as protection from coastal erosion and sea level rise due to climate change. She welcomed the involvement of SMAN 1 Wiradesa students who actively participated in planting mangroves on their own initiative.
The TANGGUH program has planted more than 190,000 mangrove seedlings along the coast in the Wonokerto District area since 2019. Apart from planting mangroves, this program also carries out sustainable fishery cultivation activities by implementing the silvofishery concept which integrates mangrove plants in fish ponds, commodity combinations and rotations, and campaigns to preserve mangrove ecosystems.
“We are happy to be involved in mangrove planting. This nature caring activity was carried out to bring the students of the SMAN 1 Wiradesa Rohis members closer to nature as a gift from God," said one of the students who participated. She hopes that other high school students in Pekalongan Regency can follow her steps so that Pekalongan beaches can be sustainable. (SLU)