Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Banjarmasin Naval Base (Lanal) have planted as many as 4.500 mangrove seedlings along the coastal areas of Pagatan Besar, Takisung sub-district, Tanah Laut, South Kalimantan, to deter seawater intrusion.
"The planting is in the framework of 74th anniversary of the Indonesian Military (TNI) carried out all at once across Indonesia," Commander of Banjarmasin Naval Base Col. Sandharianto remarked, Monday.
To plant the thousands of mangrove seedlings, the Navy Base deployed 40 personnel and assisted by 20 personnel from Army (TNI-AD) and 30 National Police members.
The Navy Base also invited members of Jalasenastri, an organization for Marine Corps soldier wives, civil servants, private companies employees, residents, and students together planting.
"The involvement of all elements of residents we expect to be a campaign to ignite the spirit of planting mangrove for the sake of saving the earth for our children and grand children," he noted.
The commander acknowledged, the condition of mangrove forest in Kalimantan and other region in Indonesia is quite alarming or critical. Whereas it existance is very important to restrain erosion and abrasion of the coastal areas till to protect residential areas from exposed to wind and storm.
"At this time, we boost people to work together to plant mangrove as many as possible in the coastal areas to deter seawater intrusion as well as growing coastline to extend it boundary to the land," said the new commander.
