TEMPO.CO, Bekasi - State oil company Pertamina is developing a mangrove ecotourism project in Muara Gembong, Pantaimekar Village, Bekasi Regency. The ecotourism area comes with a 200-meters tracking path to the forest.

"Mangrove ecotourism is expected to have a positive impact, especially for the locals' economy," Achmad Alfian Husein, Pertamina EP's exploration and new discovery project director, said on Wednesday 28 November.

He said that the selling point of mangrove forest ecotourism is track path leading towards the inside of the forest. It allows tourists to enjoy the scenery while reading information boards about the types of mangroves that are very useful for life.

"In addition to holding abrasion, mangroves can also be a source of life for humans as well as marine biology," he said.

Pertamina EP's Asset 3 Tambun Field's manager, Agung Kurniawan, said that they had planted 15,000 mangrove trees there since 2016. On November 28, which was also the National Tree Planting Day, Pertamina donated 1,500 more trees.

Toto M. Toha, head of the West Java Region II Coordination Agency, appreciates everyone taking part in the development of ecotourism on the outskirts of Bekasi. Aside from attracting tourist, tree planting is part of rehabilitating the environment from the damages that are causing abrasion.

Right now, Toto said, the government's task is to think of access to the location. He said that the easiest route would be through waters or by boat. Therefore, the provincial government is mulling to normalize the river to make it accessible by ships.

Adi Warsono