The Story Behind “The Coastal Guardian”

The sun had not fully risen that morning. While watching a herd of cows chewing grass, I waited for the tide to recede, sipping warm unsweetened tea. Resting, I was preparing myself to plant mangroves along the Pailelang coast. For today’s planting, the team had prepared a thousand mangrove seedlings to be planted with the invited guests.

This planting event involved several groups, including the police, military, church youth, local residents, and four schools ranging from elementary to high school levels. Although it started later than the time indicated in the invitation, the participants eventually gathered to plant the mangroves. At exactly nine in the morning, we began walking to the planting site, just a five-minute walk away.

The planting was divided into four stations to facilitate mobilization and data collection. Each station was responsible for planting at least 250 mangrove seedlings.

Only two types of mangroves were available for planting: Rhizophora and Ceriops. These two species were chosen because they are the only ones capable of surviving and thriving in the substrate (a mix of soil and sand) of the Pailelang coast.

“Here is an example of the Bruguiera species that was once cultivated but died. It didn’t survive because it was not compatible with the substrate found in Pailelang,” said Mangrove Restoration Officer of Thresher Shark Indonesia, Lekison Padafani.

As the sun climbed higher, one by one, the mangrove seedlings were planted to protect the Pailelang coast. Three hours passed, and with the sun directly overhead and our clothes drenched in sweat, we decided to stop the planting even though 200 seedlings remained unplanted.

The Mangrove Restoration Process

This mangrove planting is part of the Mangrove Ecosystem Restoration program, based on the realization that the coastal areas of Alor lack protection against erosion and other natural disasters. The program aims to restore three areas spread across three villages, with each already having 2,000 mangroves planted.

As the day grew hotter, the remaining 200 mangroves would be planted the day after tomorrow to meet the program’s target. The goal of planting 6,000 mangroves was set in November 2023. Since then, we have been restoring mangroves along the Fanating, Welai Barat, and Pailelang coasts, and this week’s planting is our final one.

The program started with the involvement of five local youths from the “Conservation Champion” group to carry out the restoration. The process began with cultivating mangrove fruits until they grew into seedlings ready for planting.

For these young people, mangrove restoration reflects the understanding that to protect just one species, we must protect an entire ecosystem. Living in coastal areas, mangroves become home to flora and fauna and serve as a guardian for the community against erosion. The experience of Cyclone Seroja, which hit East Nusa Tenggara, also served as a wake-up call that strengthening the resilience of coastal areas is crucial. It’s no wonder that mangroves are often referred to as “The Coastal Guardian.”

Restoration efforts are not just about taking seedlings from elsewhere and planting them. Nor is it simply a matter of “just planting” and letting nature take its course. Instead, restoration is a sustainable action carried out with careful consideration.

The collected mangrove fruits (propagules) are cultivated using the appropriate substrate for the planting location. The goal is clear: to ensure the mangrove fruits can adapt to the substrate suited to the site where they will be planted.

This cultivation process can take approximately 2–3 months before the seedlings are ready to be planted. Throughout this process, it must be acknowledged that many factors can cause failures, such as parasites, the rapid decay of the mangrove fruits, adaptation to the substrate, animals disrupting the cultivation area, and not to forget, human error.

Once the cultivation period is over, the mangrove seedlings can be planted in the location where the substrate originated. However, planting is not the final step of this restoration effort. After planting, we continue with monitoring and ensuring that the seedlings survive the various threats they face. If any do not survive, we and the local community will immediately replace them.

The Coastal Guardian Education

Besides restoring the mangrove ecosystem, we recognize the need to raise public awareness about the importance of mangroves in protecting their environment. Therefore, since November 2023, we have also been conducting mangrove education programs in schools, village halls, and church youth groups.

This education program targets 20 schools and 750 community members of various ages. However, a smooth path is never part of an educational journey. Challenges range from rejection, lack of enthusiasm, to creating different educational approaches to suit the situation.

Despite these challenges, by September 2024, the education program had successfully involved 1,376 people, from school-aged children to adults. A figure that once seemed impossible, but has been achieved in the last few months. Hopefully, this education will serve as a reminder and learning experience for the community to prioritize the protection of the main defense for coastal areas.

The mangrove education and restoration program is one of the initiatives of Thresher Shark Indonesia, supported by Coral Reef Care. The program focuses on protecting, restoring, and educating about the mangrove ecosystem. Without the awareness of various parties, restoration efforts would certainly face numerous challenges. By building “The Coastal Guardian,” we are certainly building cooperation, awareness, and hope.

Author: Maria Bernadeth Tukan/Umar Tusin/Vivekananda Gitandjali