Community-Led Planting Effort Restores Mangroves in Tanjung Kuras, Riau

In Tanjung Kuras village, Sungai Apit district, Siak Regency, Riau, Indonesia, local resident Harisyah (53) is passionately engaged in mangrove planting activities along the riverbanks. On an early July evening, Harisyah was still working. On the banks of the Sungai Siak, he swung his machete, clearing branches and planting dozens of saplings about 1.5 meters apart. Harisyah had been working since morning, his face sweaty, his clothes soaked, and mud clinging to his trousers. He was preparing the land to plant mangroves. The location is not far from his home in Tanjung Kuras village. This preparation was to welcome guests from Malaysia and Pekanbaru. On July 6, dozens of residents and schoolchildren – coincidentally on holiday for the class promotion – flocked to the muddy area, filling planting holes with mangrove seedlings that were piled up there. “We will also make this location a new nursery. Children from the nature generation will be closer to learning and understanding mangroves. Playing while doing activities,” he said. Mulyadi, Director of Yayasan Gambut (YG), expressed his hopes for future generations. “Mr. Haris is already old. In a few years, we don't know what his physical condition will be. But if these young ones, at their growth stage, already know about mangroves, the hope is that they will care about the nature in their village in the future,” Mulyadi said. Yayasan Gambut (YG) is collaborating with Haris on a community-based mangrove rehabilitation program. This program is supported by the Global Environment Center (GEC) with funding from Aramco Asia Singapore. Tanjung Kuras is one of four target locations, with three others in Bengkalis. The collaboration in Tanjung Kuras has been ongoing for a long time. Before mangrove restoration, environmental cooperation also included efforts to prevent forest and land fires (karhutla). This article was originally published on Mongabay