The mangrove area in West Papua is the largest than the other provinces in Indonesia. That is why; it is really potential to solve some environmental issues.
According to data from Conservation International Indonesia (CII), the area reached 482,029 hectares out of a total of 3.49 million hectares of mangrove forest area in Indonesia.
Mangroves serve as a retainer of abrasion on the coast and a store of carbon. However, it is undeniable, these ecosystems are also often used as a support for the welfare of people on the coast.
Although these kinds of forests in West Papua are widespread, researchers in the Econusa Foundation Expedition, found that the utilization of the ecosystems by coastal communities around there is relatively low.
It is Because, they have the alternative utilization of other natural resources and have not depended on these plants. That means everything is based on the habits.
Generally, local people on the coast use the mangrove forest ecosystems to find some specific products to meet their daily living needs such as fish, shellfish, crabs, sea cucumbers and shrimp.
That was said by the 2019 Expedition report fronted by several researchers from the University of Papua and Balitbangda. That is not the end.
From these findings, there has not been a large-scale use of mangroves in the expedition area in 9 villages and 5 regencies on the coast of this province. What are the approximately utilization development that can be done on the coast of West Papua?
Exported Woods as one of the Products
In a number of coastal villages there, people use mangrove tree wood to support the buildings. Those are for building the houses or churches.
The wood can also have added value when produced and processed again on an industrial scale. It means that deforestation can be pressed properly.
One of the producer in that province is PT Bintuni Utama Murni Wood Industies (BUMWI) on Amutu Island. This company processes the raw products into materials that are ready to be exported.
The craftsmen manage the mangrove wood. He makes it in the form of chips, chopped so, and exported to the other countries.
Many of its functions are exported abroad, can be for fuel for winter for heating, and so on. In the other words, this activity is a new chance to lift the locals’ecobomy economy.
West Papua has the right size of Mangrove
Jimmy as a forest researcher said if the mangroves on the coast of this province in terms of composition, age, to the diameter of the tree are qualified to be used.
It is especially to meet the needs of the community living in that region. But still have to pay attention to the rules, sustainability and procedures while harvesting for not damaging the environment.
Besides for pressing the amount of deforestation and as a chance to lift the locals economy, this forest also has the other advantages. Here are some of them.
- Ecotourism in the West Papua
The use of this natural product can also penetrate into ecotourism sector. According to Jimmy, such discourse has been widely discussed among academics, practitioners, to bureaucrats
It is especially those who care about the forestry issues. Many people were willing to pay for exploring this forest or doing another activity such as fishing.
Another thing to do is bird watching where it is so interesting for the tourists. However, there is a challenge to be solved related to the transportation.
- Showing off the small business products
The people in West Papua have to learn the groups from Semarang where they are able to process the mangrove to some products. Those are like the foods, syrup, up to the coloring for textile.
Besides learning the process, the government has to help the locals about finding the buyers. This also becomes another challenge to be solved.
It also Becomes an Educational Method
Jimmy proposed that the use of mangroves on the coast of West Papua could also be intended for educational purposes. One of them is by building a research center.
Maybe people in Southeast Asia or in the world want to learn about it. They can be placed in a place where the plants are complete in structures and formations.
This activity will attract so many visitors to come to West Papua and it can trigger the positive results. The examples are opening the new job field and getting the income.
Some of the incomes need to be kept and then processed as a budget to save the environment. It is especially in that place to ensure that they are healthy.
In the other side, it doesn’t close the chance that several breakthroughs may be founded in the future. This thing may attract the academics and researchers to come.
They are going to share their knowledge due to the environmental issues. However, the most important thing is that making West Papua is more known by the people.
