Data The World Atlas of Mangroves in 2010 says Indonesia has a mangrove forest area of 3 million hectares or 20% of the total area of mangrove forest world which reaches about 15 million hectares.
Mangrove forests are of great benefit to 40% -50% of Indonesians living in coastal areas, preventing abrasion and tsunamis, as well as infiltration of sea water to land. Therefore, efforts to conserve mangrove forests should continue to be encouraged because Indonesia is an archipelagic country that has many beaches.
Rehabilitation by planting mangrove trees is part of NEWtrees program launched by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Indonesia. This program is oriented towards improving the function of priority ecosystems, and also in line with current efforts by the government in integrating sectoral development with environmental carrying capacity at the landscape level. NEWtrees program also supports and contributes to realize the government's commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 26% by 2020 by increasing tree planting and reforestation.
Given the enormous benefits, it is necessary to participate all elements of the nation to work together to contribute to the rehabilitation and preservation of mangrove forests.
PT Bank Central Asia Tbk (BCA) on Sunday february 29,2018, took part of the noble efforts. The largest national private bank in Indonesia is working with WWF-Indonesia and managing Eko Wisata Mangrove Tol Sedyatmo, planting mangrove trees in Pantai Indah Kapuk area, Jakarta. The planting of mangrove trees was undertaken by BCA President Director Jahja Setiaatmadja, CEO of WWF Indonesia Efransjah, Head of Forestry Division of DKI Jakarta Maritime and Agriculture Office Jaja Suarja, directors of BCA subsidiaries, BCA Corporate Secretary Inge Setiawati, and a number of BCA employees and BCA subsidiaries (BCA Insurance, BCA Syariah, BCA Sekuritas, BCA Life, and CS Finance).
The event is one of Bakti BCA's social care programs to coincide with BCA's 58th anniversary. The environment was chosen to be the focus of BCA's CSR anniversary and activities this year.
"The Earth we live in is a gift to be inherited to posterity. Therefore, it is important for us to be responsible and together take care of the environment. Therefore, BCA today together with WWF-Indonesia planted 18,000 mangrove seedlings in 9 cities spread over the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Kalimantan, "Jahja Setiaatmadja said.
A total of 18,000 mangroveakan tree seedlings are planted simultaneously in 9 locations, namely in Lamujung (Aceh Besar), Tanggamus (Lampung), Muara Gembong (West Java), Blanakan, Subang (West Java), Muara Kali Opak (Yogyakarta), Lamong Bay (Surabaya ), White Wringin (Banyuwangi), Sumberkima (Bali), and Bengkayang (West Kalimantan).
"It is hoped that this effort will have a positive impact on the socio-economic sustainability of the ecosystem function for the people living in the area," Jahja explained.
Meanwhile, Efransjah said, in mangrove planting WWF-Indonesia became a link between the public and corporations such as BCA with communities around the planting area.
Mangrove planting is implemented by the community, as they will receive direct and indirect benefits from the program. The community will also be enriched with the activities of cultivating either crabs or fish that use the area of mangrove forest as a spawning area (breeding).
Community empowerment activities will also include conservation activities in mangrove forest areas, so in addition to being socio-cultural support, it also becomes a supporter of biodiversity.
"The tasks carried by WWF-Indonesia for reforestation either in waters or in terrestrial are not small. BCA's support on its 58th anniversary as well as during the last 5 years shows the continuity of conservation efforts undertaken by corporations through WWF-Indonesia. We hope to expect not only BCA but other corporations and the public through BCA or other communication channels can also be part of conservation efforts, "he said.