MANGROVE EDUCATION PROJECT IN BEKASI REGENCY INCREASED AWARENESS OF COASTAL COMMUNITIES ON THE BENEFITS OF MANGROVE FORESTS

Abstract

During 1988-2022 the coastal area of Muara Gembong, Bekasi Regency, faced serious environmental threats in the form of severe abrasion and continuous flooding which would certainly threaten residential areas and the livelihoods sector of local residents. Muara Gembong sub-district as a whole has experienced 2400 hectares of abrasion, and until now there has been 25 cm per year of soil degradation in Muara Gembong. There are many factors for this problem, such as industrialization, pollution activities, conversion of mangrove ecosystems into non-forest areas such as settlements, destruction of mangrove wood for charcoal and ponds and excessive exploitation of mangrove products. However, there are also contributing factors to these problems, namely the lack of awareness of the Muara Gembong community about the importance of the mangrove ecosystem. This project aims to raise public awareness by providing knowledge about the benefits, impacts and methods of preserving mangroves to the community. Using an environmental education approach based on experiences from Kolb's learning cycle and a social media campaign, we are working with a local community organization (KEBAYA) to carry out outreach activities and planting actions. We planted 100 rhizophores at Pantai Bahagia with 20 Volunteers and carried out a virtual campaign through @Reforestationmangrove from March to May 2023. SDG 14 focuses on achieving the national goal of ocean ecosystems where mangrove ecosystems provide the continuity of various living things under the sea and surrounding areas, mangroves also help realize sdg no 13 because mangroves make a major contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation, where mangrove forests have a carbon absorption capacity of 3 to 5 times better than tropical forests. Therefore, the Education Mangrove Project not only provides knowledge and raises awareness about the importance of protecting mangrove ecosystems to avoid various losses, but we also invite the community to participate in planting activities to maintain the existence of mangroves so that mangroves can be preserved forever.