TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Real Madrid footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has agreed to become an ambassador for mangrove conservation. Yahoo Singapore reported that Ronaldo signed an agreement with Bali-based Mangrove Care Forum to advocate for the protection and preservation of mangrove forests in Indonesia.
"I am honored to play a significant role in preserving mangrove in Indonesia. I had been to Aceh after the 2004 tsunami and the suffering that I saw made a deep impression on me," Ronaldo said. "I understand mangroves can provide protection from the brunt of big waves, saving many lives and minimizing damage."
In 2000, Indonesia's mangrove forests covered an area of about 9 million hectares, according to the Forestry Ministry. Today, however, mangrove forests area declined by 65 percent, down to 3.6 million hectares, as a result of their conversion to shrimp farms, oil palm plantations and agricultural areas, as well as to make way for people’s housing.