Mangrove Restoration Exceeds Target in 2021, to Continue in 2022

TheIndonesia.id - Indonesia’s Peatland and Mangrove Restoration Agency (BRGM) said it will continue the restoration effort in the coming years after successfully exceeding target in 2021.

Head of the Agency Hartono said maintaining coordination will related stakeholders is one of BRGM's focuses next year as it’s deemed a crucial steps toward achieving the bigger target.

“What we’ve achieved in the first period needs to be improved, and we also need to maintain closer cooperation with every stakeholder,” Hartono said in Jakarta, on Thursday, December 30.

He added that BRGM was initially established to operate until 2020 with focus on peatland restoration. However, it was able to achieve target, and its work has been visibly seen as fewer peat fires were recorded since its initiation.

Therefore, the body has also been tasked to restore mangrove in Indonesia, and its working period has been extended to 2024.

During 2021. BRGM restored 34,911.72 ha mangrove or higher than the 33,000 target.

The initial target was actually at 83,000 hectare, but it was revised after the country was hit with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy for community empowerment at the Agency Gatot Soebiantoro said a number of challenges remain that hinder an optimum mangrove restoration in the country.

Besides lack of supporting regulations, there’s also lack of species diversity as seed availability is limited.

The Indonesian government has set ambitious target on national mangrove restoration. It targets to restore and rehabilitate 600,000 ha of mangrove by 2024.