One of the highlights of visiting a mangrove forest is the diversity of mangroves, the panoramic beauty of the strong coastal landscape, and the amazing foundation that can protect the land from waves. In fact, mangrove forests serve as coastal abrasion barriers, tsunami buffers, habitats for a variety of flora and fauna, and pollution filters from land to sea. However, mangroves are often damaged by human activities, such as illegal logging, poaching, and coastal reclamation.

Specifically, the condition of mangroves in Rangko Hamlet according to Raside, Chairman of the Pokdarwis, the length of the mangrove ecosystem landscape from Rangko Hamlet to Rangko Cave tourism is about 5.6 Kilometers and the most commonly seen species are Rhizophora sp, Bruguera sp and Avicencia sp. The observations of the Rangko Hamlet Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis) show that there are challenges faced by mangrove ecosystems such as logging mangrove wood to be used by residents as fire wood and mangrove wood for boat rudders. Currently, Pokdarwis Dusun Rangko wants to ensure the safe and environmentally friendly utilization of mangrove ecosystems with the existence of mangrove strolling tours.

Increasing public awareness needs to be done to continue to preserve mangroves so that the benefits can be felt by the next generation. Socialization is an effort that can be done to increase public awareness of the importance of maintaining and preserving mangroves and increasing active participation in conservation.

This socialization involved 41 people (14 P/27 L) consisting of the Environment Office of West Manggarai Regency, the Tourism, Creative Economy and Culture Office of West Manggarai Regency, the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Marine Fisheries Service Branch Office for East Manggarai, Manggarai, and West Manggarai Regencies, Food Security and Fisheries Office of West Manggarai Regency, Rangko Hamlet Tourism Awareness Group, Tanjung Boleng Village Officials, Fisheries Extension Workers, SMAN 1 Komodo, eLBajo Commodus Polytechnic, Nomad Plastic, True Nature Group, Community Leaders, Women Leaders, Religious Leaders, KSU Sampah Komodo, and WWF Indonesia Foundation.

It is important to convey information on the relationship between mangroves for the environment, marine life, and human life. Socialization to the people of Dusun Rangko was conducted on September 14, 2023. This activity was supported by the Indonesian Capital Market and facilitated by WWF Indonesia Foundation. Kusnanto, Site Coordinator for Flores Waters, explained the conservation programs, especially in the mangrove ecosystem as an effort to support the strengthening of marine tourism management in Dusun Rangko. The goal is that the community and stakeholders involved can collaborate for the sustainability of livelihoods and keep the mangrove ecosystem sustainable.

"To increase community participation and awareness, the most effective method for now is through socialization of mangrove conservation, so that people in Dusun Rangko realize mangrove forests as an important asset in the global ecosystem," said Robertus Eddy Surya, as Head of KCD KP NTT Wilkab Manggarai Raya.

The last presentation was delivered by the True Nature Group. The True Nature Group is a community group engaged in mangrove conservation that involves people from Golo Sepang, Boleng District, as its members. The group discussed community efforts to protect land from abrasion by rehabilitating mangrove ecosystems. It discussed in more detail the important characteristics of mangrove ecosystems, such as aerial roots or breath roots that extend upwards from the mud surface. "These roots help mangrove trees get oxygen because the surrounding mud has low oxygen levels. In addition, mangrove roots also function as a barrier to coastal erosion due to their strong and dense root system," said Burhan, the head of the True Nature Group.

"Not only conducting socialization, we also provide supporting equipment for mangrove tourism development in the form of 2 kayaks. In addition to facilities, capacity building of Pokdarwis is considered important, so to support the implementation of the program, WWF Indonesia Foundation also held training such as tour guiding," Kusnanto added.