90 Percent of South Sulawesi's Mangrove Forests are Heavily Damaged

At least 90 percent of the mangrove forests in South Sulawesi are severely damaged, the provincial Forest Service has reported.

 "We need to manage the mangrove ecosystem in South Sulawesi in an integrated manner," head of the watershed management and green environment restoration (RLH) division of the South Sulawesi Forest Service, Hidayat, this week.

This is considered important given that the mangrove ecosystem is one of the coastal ecosystems that have very important ecological and economic roles. Mangrove forests, he said, can be used by local communities in South Sulawesi directly to improve their standard of living.

The area under mangrove forests in the coastal parts of South Sulawesi spans 12,256.90 hectares, and the length of the coastline is 1,937 kilometers, according to PDASRHL Office.

Meanwhile, efforts to manage mangrove ecosystems are also being taken in accordance with Presidential Regulation Number 73 of 2012 concerning the national strategy for mangrove ecosystem management.

The government policy emphasizes that the sustainable management of mangrove ecosystems is an integral part of integrated coastal area management as well as watershed management.

 "Hence, there needs to be coordination, synchronization, and synergy across agencies and institutions," said Hidayat.