Bekasi Students Create Open Space Laboratory for Mangrove Forest
12 July 2014 14:28 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Public High School (SMA) 2 Bekasi had created an open space laboratory for mangrove forest conservation on 20-hectare large area in the north coast of Bekasi regency, West Java. More than 1,000 mangrove trees have been planted so far in the conservation area from the total of targeted 200,000 trees.
The school principal, Ekowati, explained that the laboratory was built on the used-to-be mangrove forest which was damaged by illegal logging. Some part of the area was transformed into fish and shrimp ponds.
"The conservation is meant to restore the former function of mangrove forest in the coastal area," said Ekowati to Tempo, Friday, July 11. The conservation laboratory is located in Beting Distric, Pantai Bahagia Village, Muaragembong Sub-District.
Since three years ago, the teachers and students of SMA Negeri 2 Bekasi have been initiated the conservation act since the area was severely damaged and flood due to the abrasion happened every week.
Besides replanting mangrove, the school community is actively campaigning for the importance of saving the wildlife ecosystem at the coastal area, such as javan langur, gibbons, and long tail ape of which the number only around 80 left.
“In that area, javan langur are still existing even though the number continue to decrease rapidly as a result of the poaching activity,” stated Endang, the vice principal of SMA N 2 Bekasi. Still according to Endang, the existence of javan langur, gibbons or long tail ape is highly concerning.
The animals’ population is spread across several estuaries along Muaragembong coastline, and the environment laboratory is aimed to provide a safe sanctuary for those animals.
HAMLUDDIN