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Youtefa Bay Mangroves Under Threat from Waste and Commercial Development
The Youtefa Bay mangrove forest in Jayapura, Papua, is facing severe pollution and degradation due to massive waste dumping and commercial development. Local residents, who have lived in the area for generations, are suffering from the loss of their once-rich natural environment.
The mangrove forest in Youtefa Bay, Jayapura, Papua, is facing a severe environmental crisis. Mama Persila Sanyi, a 70-year-old resident from Kampung Enggros, Jayapura, fondly recalls a time when the bay's waters were clear, allowing her to gather shellfish, crabs, and shrimp. Today, however, she returns from foraging with itchy skin, a consequence of widespread development and massive waste dumping along the coast. The roots of the mangroves are choked with all kinds of garbage, from plastic products and styrofoam to used mattresses and even medical waste like syringes and infusion bags. Berta Sanyi, another indigenous woman from Enggros, laments that their mangrove forest has become a "shopping mall" due to the sheer volume of trash. Designated as a Nature Tourism Park since 1996, the area was recognized as a protected zone even earlier, in 1978. Despite this, land use conversion is rampant along the Hamadi coast to Holtekamp, with cafes, restaurants, shops, and lodging facilities being built along the mangrove line, further encroaching upon this vital ecosystem. Research from Cenderawasih University (Universitas Cenderawasih Jayapura) indicates a significant decline in the Youtefa Bay mangrove area, with deforestation reaching 159.33 hectares, or approximately 40.59 percent, between 1994 and 2017. The initial area of 392.45 hectares has shrunk to just 233.12 hectares. Data from the Papua Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation Agency (BBKSDA Papua) shows a further degradation of 7.81 hectares in the last two years alone, with the area decreasing from 124.3 hectares in 2022 to 116.49 hectares in 2024. Efforts to enforce environmental laws have been made. In 2023, a joint team comprising BBKSDA Papua, the Papua Regional Police, and the Jayapura City Government took action against parties found to be reclaiming mangrove land along Hamadi Road. This land reclamation case is being handled by the law enforcement agency (Gakkum) and is currently in court proceedings, according to Chandra Irwanto. Source: Mongabay Indonesia
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Mongabay Indonesia