Freeport Indonesia Proactively Striving for Mangrove Rehabilitation to Protect Coastal Areas


27 September 2024


Semarang (23/9) – PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) participated in a National Seminar on “Protecting Coastal Areas Through Mangrove Restoration” conducted at the Diponegoro University (UNDIP) Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK) Auditorium on 23 September 2024.

Mangroves play a vital role in fortifying the lifecycle in coastal areas, by minimizing sedimentation and mitigating effects of climate change. Since 2004, PTFI has been carrying out a mangrove rehabilitation program in Mimika to encompass an area of 8,000 hectares (Ha), and in several other provinces in Indonesia to cover a total of 2,000 Ha, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Peat and Mangrove Restoration Agency BRGM, and a number of universities in Indonesia. By 2024, the total coverage achieved in PTFI’s mangrove planting endeavor had come to 1,100 Ha.

The panelists participating in the Seminar included Ministry of Environment and Forestry Director General of Environmental Pollution and Degradation Sigit Reliantoro,   PT Freeport Indonesia Vice President for Environment Gesang Setyadi, Prof. Denny Nugroho Sugianto, and Dr. Rudhi Pribadi from Diponegoro University’s Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences. Around 260 students and members from various UNDIP faculties and surrounding universities attended this Seminar.

In his speech, Sigit Reliantoro underscored, mangrove restoration involves complex factors and therefore needs to be well-planned. “It should be initiated with studies covering various aspects as well as thorough and comprehensive planning to ensure a high success rate in mangrove restoration implementation,” he said. 

PTFI Vice President for Environment Gesang Setyadi conveyed, the PTFI mangrove rehabilitation program undertaken in Muara Ajkwa in Mimika Regency engages 20 local Papuan contractors to build estuary structures. Going ahead, the presence of mangrove forests is expected to benefit local communities through mangrove ecosystem services of physical, ecological, and socio-economic nature.

Seminar nasional perlindungan pantai dibuka dengan tifa oleh VP PTFI, pejabat UNDIP, dan Dirjen KLHK
National seminar on coastal protection opened with tifa drum by PTFI VP, UNDIP officials, and KLHK DG.
Diskusi panel oleh Prof. Denny, VP PTFI, Dirjen KLHK, dan Dr. Rudhi tentang oseanografi dan ilmu kel
Panel discussions featured Prof. Denny, PTFI VP, KLHK DG, and Dr. Rudhi on oceanography and marine science.
Buku "Mangrove di Mimika" diluncurkan oleh dosen UNDIP, VP PTFI, dan Dirjen KLHK.
Book "Mangroves in Mimika" launched by UNDIP faculty, PTFI VP, and KLHK DG.
260 peserta dari UNDIP dan kampus sekitar hadir dalam seminar restorasi mangrove.
260 participants from UNDIP and nearby universities attended the mangrove restoration seminar.
260 peserta dari UNDIP dan kampus sekitar hadir dalam seminar restorasi mangrove.
260 peserta dari UNDIP dan kampus sekitar hadir dalam seminar restorasi mangrove.
260 peserta dari UNDIP dan kampus sekitar hadir dalam seminar restorasi mangrove.
260 peserta dari UNDIP dan kampus sekitar hadir dalam seminar restorasi mangrove.


The involvement of the local population is crucial for PTFI’s mangrove rehabilitation program to succeed. 

“We encourage community empowerment to support coastal protection efforts and to ensure nature conservation will continue into the future, towards increasing the well-being of Kamoro Tribe communities residing around the company’s operating area. Mangrove rehabilitation is also a company endeavor to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030,” Gesang explained.

On a similar note, Prof. Denny added carbon sequestration will enable the mangrove ecosystem to absorb and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over long periods of time. 

“Mangrove restoration must be accelerated by means of a hard structure infrastructure approach, which will aid the sedimentation process and ultimately encourage mangrove revegetation in the areas concerned. Mangrove forests contribute to global climate change control efforts,” he asserted. 

UNDIP 4th Deputy Rector overseeing Research, Innovation and Collaboration, Wijayanto in his address stated, “This national seminar strives to educate and instill in students and society the importance of mangrove forests in terms of ecology and economy.” Bearing in mind the crucial physical, ecological, and economic value of the mangrove ecosystem, vegetation efforts are an utmost priority in rehabilitation of the mangrove ecosystem. 

According to Dr. Rudhi, many mangrove rehabilitation efforts have failed or come up short in results due to their implementation having no bearing to the underlying problems causing mangrove degradation.

“We need to precede rehabilitation efforts with studies on the factors underlying mangrove degradation,” he said.  

The event was accompanied by the launching of the book “ Mangroves in Mimika”, which is the 11th volume of the “Biodiversity in Mimika” book series. The 163-page book describes the mangrove species growing in the PTFI operating area. The book is expected to augment literature referring to the wealth of mangroves in Indonesia, and in particular in Papua.





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