The Jakarta Environmental Agency is currently formulating a draft Governor's Regulation on the Utilization and Control of Mangrove Ecosystem Damage.

This regulation is prepared as a strategic step to ensure the protection, utilization, rehabilitation, and control of mangrove ecosystem damage in a sustainable manner, and to strengthen Jakarta's coastal ecological resilience amidst threats of erosion, flooding, and climate change.

Jakarta Environment Agency Head, Asep Kuwanto said, the condition of the mangroves in the capital requires serious intervention. Of the total 608.22 hectares of mangrove area in 2024, it is recorded that 36.54 hectares are in the sparse category.

Aside that, monitoring at 25 locations showed that 9.95 percent of the mangrove stands were damaged due to ocean debris, domestic waste, and physical disturbances, such as broken branches and tidal flooding.

"We need to strengthen the mangrove ecosystem because it has high ecological and economic value. Hence, protection, preservation, and sustainable utilization are necessary," he expressed, Tuesday (12/9).

He stated that the regulation will serve as the basis for the management of mangrove utilization inside and outside the forest area.

This regulation will also include mechanisms for damage control through mitigation, rehabilitation, restoration, and community empowerment while considering local wisdom.

"This effort is expected to preserve the function of mangroves as vital coastal protectors for Jakarta," he explained.

Geospatial Implementers Coordinator at Directorate of Land Water Ecosystem Protection and Management, Zaid Ibnu Awwal, explained the Draft Strategy for Controlling Mangrove Damage prepared by Jakarta government is essentially part of the development of the Mangrove Ecosystem Protection and Management Plan (RPPEM) of the Province.

"This document serves as an academic foundation to ensure that the regulations being formulated are aligned within a framework consistent with the mandate of Government Regulation Number 27/2025 on the Protection and Management of Mangrove Ecosystems," he explained.

From a technical perspective, Indonesian Mangrove Society (IMS) Representative, Yasser Ahmed, highlighted the need for an integrated information system for controlling mangrove damage.

He stated that the system would strengthen monitoring effectiveness, facilitate restoration planning, and ensure data is connected to the national platform.

"Aside that, capacity development of the coastal community is also very important. The Training for Trainer model can expand community involvement in preserving the Jakarta Mangrove ecosystem," he closed.