Selayar’s mangrove forest gone up in the air

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar | Thu, 02/04/2010 11:14 AM

Sublime: The beachfront cottages at Selayar Islands Resort are a gateway to world-class diving and snorkeling sites. JP/David Metcalf

Mangrove deforestation in the Bua Bua Selayar delta area was protested by activists in Selayar Islands regency in South Sulawesi, who said the move would negatively impact the environment.

The protesters, affiliated with the Selayar Islands Environmental Awareness Community, aired their protest on Tuesday at the Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua Regions Environmental Management Center in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

The delta, located in the middle of Selayar Islands regency capital Benteng, so far acts as a barrier to prevent abrasion, floods and heavy winds.

“The Bua Bua delta plays a very important role for Benteng city as a shield against coastal abrasion,” said resident Asrahiyah Abubakar.

“The area, which comprises 2 hectares of mangrove, also protects Benteng from floods, strong winds and prevents sea water intrusion into residents’ wells.”

Around two hectares of the mangrove forest has allegedly been felled by a businessman who bought the delta from a resident.

The land purchase was allegedly facilitated by the local officials and authorized by the Selayar’s National Land Agency office.

The mangrove deforestation was carried out early January using heavy machinery.

Apart from mature mangrove trees, around 1,000 mangrove seedlings had also been damaged.

Earlier, in March 2009, they had also logged the area to build an embankment.

The protesters questioned the legality of the ownership of the delta area, claiming the delta was part of land that had been reclaimed dozens of years ago.

The Selayar Islands regency administration had earlier designated the delta as an urban forest and conservation area back in 2009, and it aims for the area to serve as a natural laboratory in the future.

“We believe there has been corrupt practices in the land purchase because a person cannot own a delta area and river,” said one of the protesters, Sirul Haq Nawawi.

“Besides, the government has designated it as an urban forest.

“The deforestation has damaged the environment at a time when the world is making efforts to prevent the impacts of global warming.”

The delta is home to around 10 varieties of mangrove trees, one of them endemic.

Asrahiyah said a section of the mangrove swamp had been grown and was tended to by local residents, while the others have existed for years.

Residents have also turned the delta into a mangrove seedling area.

Some of the seedlings have been grown in Selayar and others have been sold to augment their income.

Selayar Islands regency is currently home to 291 hectares of mangrove forest, but the number is declining.

More than 320 hectares of mangrove in the area had been converted into fish farms.

When confirmed, Selayar Islands Vice Regent Nursiyah Aroepala said her office had unsuccessfully tried to stop the businessman from felling the mangrove trees.

She said that the logging acti-vities continued with the owner insisting on his legal ownership of the delta.

“We deeply regretted the logging. We had asked the owner to stop felling the mangrove trees because the delta area is a conservation area and [the move] would threaten people’s lives.”

She claimed she was not in the regency when the logging activities took place.

She said her office had instructed district and village heads as well as the National Land Agency to investigate the delta’s legal status and stop the logging activities.

Head of Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua Regions Environment Management Center, Ridwan D. Tamin, promised that his office would check the report on the field.

He said if the mangrove deforestation did happen, it has violated the 2009 Law on Environment protection and management and the 1999 Law on forestry.

If proven guilty, the violator might get up to 10 years imprisonment and Rp 1 billion (US$108.000) in fines.