PHE WWO Assisted Villages proposed to be The First Climate Village in Madura
BANGKALAN, MADURA – Labuhan Village, Sepulu, Bangkalan district, is encouraged to be the first village in Madura which involves in a Climate Village program (Proklim). The success of conservation and rehabilitation of mangrove region become one of the strongest factor to support Labuhan to participate in the national movement of community-based climate change control to decrease greenhouse gases emission (GRK).
"We encourage Bangkalan Government to be proposed to become a village or climate village. Mangrove region is 5% more effective in absorbing carbon emission compared to other forest areas,” said Head of Environmental Department East Java, Diah Sulistiowati, on the sidelines of Socialization and Environmental Counseling in Mangrove Educational Park (TPM), Labuhan Bangkalan, East Java.
She said that in the Climate Village, the vilagers are empowered economically by putting forward environmental aspects, such as mangrove planting done by Labuhan people. Moreover, waste management is driven to become biogas, creating reservoir to increase water supply, or increasing people’s capacity to preserve environment and cleanliness. "If Proklim has already run, a contribution of a village towards the reduction of GRK effect can be measured definite,” she added.
All this time, there are no villages in Madura that bear the status of Climate Villages from The Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Even for provincial level, there are few villages such as in Bojonegoro, Blitar and Malang. “The mechanism is proposed from regional, then Central will be the one that assessed and decide,” she explained.
Proklim has been launched as the national movement in December 2016. The program that has been implemented since 2012 has transformed from giving appreciation to the lowest administrative area such as hamlet and the highest such as villages, becomes the driving factor of Climate Villages growth through innovation of adaptation program as well as climate change mitigation which implemented collaboratively between governments (party) with “nonparty stakeholder”.
Furthermore, criteria of Proklim location is broaden consist of the area in which the people have made an effort of adaptation and mitigation on an ongoing basis, such as community of boarding schools, university, and others. This is also a form of implementation of Paris Agreement where Indonesian Government have ratified it as The Law No. 16 2016 about Paris Agreement of the United Nation Framework Convention on Climate change,
General Manajer (GM) PT Pertamina Hulu Energi West Madura Offshore (PHE WMO) Kuncoro Kukuh said that PHE WMO is committed to support the establishment of Proklim in Labuhan. He said that the company always support Mangrove Education Park. Mangrove and Sea Pine planting in Labuhan have resulted 839,24 Ton CO2eq carbon uptake per year
“In overall, management of mangrove conservation in Labuhan is very good. However, the campaign to keep on preserving mangrove forests must be reinforced. One of which, considering the dangers of waste for mangrove tree. It is hoped that the mangrove program will be beneficial not only for the people nearby but for everyone. Mangrove prevent fire abrasion and has economic and tourism value," he explained.
TMP which has established collaboration between 13 universities in Indonesia in the development of mangrove research such as Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Universitas Trunojoyo, and Universitas Trisakti Jakarta, has become the center of environmental maintenance, social, and economy of the local people. “The presence of TPM is very helpful the locals. Now, they realize that environment needs to be protected. Moreover, they have already feel the economic benefits from a maintained mangrove ecosystem,” said Secretary of Mangrove Farmers Cemara Sejahtera , Sjahrir.
According to one of Pertamina’s local hero, direct coaching of mangrove environment teaches the people to be creative to utilize surround economic potential. He mentioned that currently there are people who already developed Labuhan Coffee, a local coffe product mixed with mangrove seeds. Then, there are also cultivation of Soka Crab and Celini papaya. “Before there is mangrove forest development, this village is a victim of flood from the ocean. But now, the condition gradually better, even the flora and fauna ecosystem become more alive with lots of fishes,” he explained, on the sidelines of “Operasi Semut” activity participated by hundreds of elementary students.
The mangrove forest that has been appointed as a conservation area under the surveillance of Mangrove Forest Management (BPHM) Region I Bali has now become tourist destination in the north coast of Madura Island. On holidays, hundreds of visitors from various regions, come to enjoy the breeze of 3,5 hectares’ mangrove forest. There are 17 mangrove types in this area such as Sonneratia Alba (Prapat), Rizhophora Stylosa, Stenggi, Rhizopora Apiculata, Sonneratia Alba, Rhizophora Mucronata, Ceriops Tagal, and Avicenna Marina.
On this location, visitors can also enjoy beautiful chirping of birds such as Rhipidura Javanica, Passer Montanus, Gerigone Sulphurea, dan Prinia SP. The protected mangrove forest also inhabited by migrant birds such as Whimbrel Numeinus, Plover, and Common Redshank.
Along with the growth of ecosystem, the mangrove forest is now visited by hordes of apes from Lembung Pesisir village, Sepulu. According to mangrove observer, Agus Satriyono, the presence of wildlife such as monkeys, eagles, and other migrant birds in mangrove has become a success indication of coast conservation efforts.
“This is a proof of PHE WMO success to develop coastal area in Labuhan to become conservation area, as well as a proof that there is a vast support from the community of farmers,” said the graduate of Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences in Biology ITS, Surabaya.
Kukuh explained that currently, PHE WMO which achieved Proper Gold in 2016 has driven innovation by synergize TPM with eastern region zone to develop the economy. “On the eastern zone, the preservation and transplantation of coral reefs has been done. Moreover, economic development program based on environment have already been strengthened in coastal villages,” he said.