RI Needs to Restore Million Hectares of Mangroves

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan said that Indonesia needs to restore two million hectares of mangroves to prevent erosion in the country's coastlines.

Mangrove rehabilitation and management should be a  priority because it has a great function for the ecosystem in the physical, biological, economic, as well as ecological sectors, the minister said after planting mangroves in Angke Kapuk area, North Jakarta, Sunday.

Besides maintaining the coastline stability, mangroves are also able to protect beaches and cliffs from erosion and abrasion. They also absorb carbon dioxide and pollution as well as waste pollution caused by ships.

"Currently we only have about 3.7 million hectares of mangroves, and now we have to restore another two millions hectares out of the the existing mangrove areas," the minister said.

Minister Zukifli said that the reclamation process was difficult, because mangrove is not an ordinary plant and the plantation process is not easy.

"The cost is high and the effort needed also not small especially if it was used as fishpond, because it would need lots of mud," he said. (*/DWA/T007)