Jakarta (Greeners) – Indonesia loses 52,000 hectares of mangrove ecosystem due to land use change, said a senior researcher from Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), in Jakarta, on Monday (13/2).

Daniel Mudiyarso, senior researcher of CIFOR, said that weak regulation had led to feeble mangrove management and protection.

The loss equals to carbon potential loss worth of US$ 3.1 billion per year.

Furthermore, Mudiyarso said that regulations related to mangrove management under the 2101 Presidential Regulation on National Strategy on Mangrove Ecosystem Management was not strong enough due to its instructive nature.

“There has yet strong formal regulation. So far, the presidential regulation is only based on coordination and there is not technical guidance or sanction if there’s violation,” he said.

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Furthermore, he said that the protection for mangrove was crucial as it hold four times carbon potential compare to terrestrial forests.

Sedimentation from mangrove ecosystem has 80 percent of the total biomass or 1,200 biomass. Meanwhile, terrestrial only covers 80 tons to 100 tons biomass.

Previously, Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya had declared the commitment for mangrove ecosystem in 2017 as she had considered the issue related to blue carbon.

Coordination meetings with related parties are expected to be held throughout this year.

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“I am also thinking on how we can set up a meeting related to mangrove ecosystem issue which has close connection with blue carbon,” she said. “The more I visit the field, the more convinced I am to give serious attention to mangrove ecosystem.”

Reports by Danny Kosasih

Jakarta (Greeners) – Bird watchers and nature lovers from universities in Jakarta conducted waterbird census at Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve and Angke Kapuk Protected Forest as part of 2016 Asian Waterbird Census (AWC), in North Jakarta, on Saturday (30/01).

“The aim is to collect annual data and information on waterbird population in wetland. Waterbird existence can serve as indicator for good environment,” said Mutia Afianti, a Biology student of National University and chief of Ardea, Biological Bird Club, Biology Faculty of National University.

Based on observation started at 7 am to 11 am, there were 18 types of waterbird, including striated heron (Butorides striatus), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), little black cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris), and oriental darter (Anhinga melanogaster).

This year’s participants were Biodiversity Warriors, BScC Indonesia Foundation, Biological Bird Club (BBC) Ardea of National University, KPB Nycticorax of Jakarta State University, KPB Nectarinia of Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University, Comata Wildlife Study Group of University of Indonesia and  Universitas Indonesia dan Mapala of Open University.

The AWC or waterbird census is an annual program hold in second and third week in January, globally. However, the counting and collecting data can be done throughout January for Indonesia.

The result will be recorded in a form and reported along with other countries’ data through International Waterbird Census.

The activity also served as public campaign on the importance of preserving wetlands for human and other living creatures.

Reports by Ahmad Baihaqi/Indonesia Wildlife Photography