ULM manages 629 hectares mangrove in Kotabaru for wetland educational forest

Banjarmasin, S Kalimatan (ANTARA) - The University of Lambung Mangkurat (ULM) is managing 629,27 hectares of mangrove in Kotabaru Regency, South Kalimantan, to develop wetland education forest to be a center for research and management information of sustainable mangrove ecosystem.

"Now we are applying a permit to use it to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK)," said ULM Chancellor Prof. Ahmad Alim Bachri in Banjarmasin, Friday.

The area to be managed is a production forest in the south of Pulau Laut, which administratively is in the Sub-district of Pulau Laut Tanjung Selayar covering seven villages, namely Tanjung Pelayar, Teluk Tamiang, Tanjung Sungkai, Kampung Baru, Tanjung Tengah, Bandar Raya, and Teluk Kemuning.

The development of mangrove wetland education forest, according to him, is an innovation to improve the ecological and economical value of mangrove ecosystem for its sustainable management.

Since 2010, the ULM research team has conducted studies in Kotabaru as a marine coastal area to identify existing condition of mangrove ecosystem (there were 17 types), calculated mangrove carbon stock (10-240 ton/ha) and utilizing activities carried out by the community (capture fisheries, cultivation).

He said the main target for future activities is the development of Research and Community Service Center (PRPM) on the Kotabaru coast as a center for rehabilitation, economic development, education and research.

In addition, by the end of 2025 it is hoped that a productive coastal village will grow able to utilize the potential resources in the mangrove ecosystem through integrated ecotourism activities and produces various products that have higher use and economic value.

Mangrove forest restoration is an implementation of ULM vision to be a leading and competitive university in the field of wetland environments.

By managing 629.27 hectares of mangrove in Kotabaru, ULM will become the world's center for mangrove studies because it is the only university thas has a research focus on wetlands.