A Thousand Mangrove Trees Planted in Bengkulu for Tsunami Mitigation
Jakarta. Members of the St. John Parish Church in Bengkulu have planted 1,000 mangrove trees in the Pantai Panjang Natural Park, in a move to preserve the province's mangrove forest.
With the help of the Bengkulu Mangrove Community, two species were planted on Tuesday (10/01) — Rhizopora Apiculata and Ceriops Tagal — at the mouth of the Jenggalu River.
"The mangrove trees planting is part of St. John Church's 90th anniversary," Martinus Arwindo of the church's committee told Antara news agency.
Through this effort, the church also sought to raise awareness about the importance of mangrove conservation, as the shrubs are a mitigator of natural disasters.
"Mangroves are a natural shield if a tsunami occurs," Martinus said, adding that Bengkulu is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis.
According to the Bengkulu Mangrove Community, the mangrove ecosystem in the Pantai Panjang Natural Park is also important for economic wellbeing.
"Spawning takes place in the mangrove ecosystem, which means that the sustainability of marine life is highly dependent on the trees," said Ziya Uzzikri of the Bengkulu Mangrove Community.
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