Minister of Forestry Launches Expanded Mangrove Restoration Initiative in North sumatra
Medan, North Sumatra – Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni officially launched the next phase of the Mangroves for Coastal Resilience (M4CR) program today in Medan, outlining plans too rehabilitate 15,387 hectares of mangrove ecosystems across four Indonesian provinces by 2025. Deputy Minister Sulaiman Umar and other Forestry Ministry officials joined the Minister for the declaration.
Indonesia is experiencing important mangrove degradation, threatening coastal communities and biodiversity.The M4CR program represents a national strategic initiative to combat this, prioritizing community-based approaches and long-term environmental sustainability.The broader initiative aims to restore 41,000 hectares of mangroves by 2027, contributing to both national climate goals and global coastal ecosystem restoration efforts.
The M4CR program will focus on Riau, North Sumatra, East Kalimantan, and North Kalimantan. In North Sumatra, restoration efforts have been underway since 2024, already covering 636 hectares across Langkat, Deli Serdang, and serdang Bedagai regencies. This year’s rehabilitation is projected to cover 1,924 hectares, with a target of 3,332 hectares restored by 2026.
The launch event took place in Batubara Mangrove Park, a site previously damaged by quartz mining and subsequent coastal erosion. Minister Antoni praised the community’s role in the area’s recovery, stating, “I appreciate the community’s mangrove rehabilitation efforts.This area was formerly a massive quartz mining area that caused abrasion, but now the mangrove vegetation cover has recovered.”
Antoni emphasized the critical importance of collaboration across government agencies and with local communities. “This demonstrates the importance of collaboration between ministries and institutions, especially community participation. The community’s role is strategic in preserving our mangrove forests,” he said. the Minister engaged with local groups, participated in a crab harvest, and inspected mangrove seedling nurseries during his visit to underscore the program’s community-focused approach.
