Community Urges Local Gov't to Investigate Dead Mangroves in Ambon Bay

TheIndonesia.co - An environmental community is urging Ambon local government to investigate and find solutions to the dozens of dying mangrove trees in Ambon Bay in Maluku province.

Moluccas Coastal Care (MCC) said Ambon municipality needs to take immediate action to resolve environmental issues related to dying mangroves within its area, particularly considering the commodity has high value.

“Mangroves have high economic and ecological values, so the government needs to fight to protect them. But so far, there has been no action, so we urge the government to take swift action,” director of MCC Teria Salhuteru said on Wednesday, August 24, as reported by Antara.

The government is expected to study and investigate the cause of mangrove’s death in Ambon Bay instead of waiting for it to regrow, especially since it takes years for the plant to grow.

Salhuteru suggested local authority to involve academics and experts in the process if it does not have necessary resources to conduct the study. Therefore, solutions can be made to resolve the environmental issue.

MCC has also reportedly queried state-owned electricity company PT PLN, which has construction project near the coastal area, about the matter. However, PLN claimed it also did not know what cause the mangroves to die.

“MCC thinks authorities are moving slowly, and it contributed to the death. And the forestry office, in particular, should have issued statement or done something,” Salhuteru said.

MCC carried out mangrove-planting in the area in 2017, and the community said since it takes a long time for mangroves to grow, government must immediately find a solution to prevent more mangroves from dying.