Mangrove conservation activists on the north coast of West Kalimantan made another surprise. Commemorating Youth Pledge Day on October 28, 2017, four institutions supported by thousands of volunteers simultaneously planted 9,500 mangrove seedlings spread across a number of points on the north coast of West Kalimantan.

The four organizations are Gosong Beach Environmental Care Community (Kopling), Mangrove Belt Community Supervisory Group (Pokmaswas), Mempawah Mangrove Conservation (MMC), and Surya Perdana Mandiri Mangrove Care Self-Help Group.

Kopling Pantai Gosong, chaired by Achmad Baharudin, planted 1,000 mangroves around Gosong Beach. Since March 3, 2016, this organization has dedicated its best work by planting 13,400 mangrove stems and supported by 20 communities.

"We hope that mangrove planting can add new forests and land that has been eroded due to sea abrasion," explained the man who is familiarly called Bahe Kopling, Sunday (29/10/2017).

In a separate place, Sungai Duri Village Head Rezza Praba Herlambang also welcomed the spirit of the young generation of the north coast. "This is a good effort because the younger generation still has concern for mangroves. On this Youth Pledge Day, Sungai Duri contributed to planting 2,000 mangrove seedlings," he said.

Rezza said the forerunner of the Mangrove Belt Community Supervisory Group (Pokmaswas) began with local young people's concern for the environment. They formed a mangrove awareness group called Gabungan Anak Pantai Selatan (Gapsel) in 2009. "Furthermore, I formed the Green Belt Pokmaswas after being elected as village head in 2016," he said.

Eight years into its work, the group has managed to plant 90 thousand mangrove seedlings spread over nine hectares of land. Currently, there are approximately 65 active members.

"We are victims of abrasion and hope that it will not happen again. Mangrove planting will be the best option to protect our place of residence, as well as a solution to rehabilitate coastal areas that have been damaged by abrasion," said Rezza.

He promised to invite mangrove conservation activists on the north coast to join hands, unite movements and steps, in order to realize that the entire coast of West Kalimantan is protected through the green shield of mangroves.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Mempawah Mangrove Conservation (MMC) Raja Fajar Azansyah said that his party also planted 5,000 mangrove seedlings on October 29, 2017 in the Mempawah Mangrove Park (MMP) area in Pasir Village. "This planting was done together with 30 communities involving 600 volunteers," he said.

The organization started conserving mangroves in five villages since December 14, 2011. The target villages are Pasir Village, Penibung, Sungai Bakau Kecil, Sungai Bakau Besar Laut, and Purun Kecil Village. The total area that has been planted reaches about 100 hectares.

Fajar further explained that the MMP, which has the concept of eduecotourism, has only been operating after it was inaugurated by the Deputy Regent of Mempawah on August 23, 2016. "We are working with Bank Indonesia West Kalimantan Representative as well as a number of support institutions such as WWF-Indonesia West Kalimantan Program," he said.

The communities involved in each planting by MMC, Fajar continued, are supported by 40 communities with a total number of volunteers of around 1,000 people. While MMC members themselves are 10 people. The management of the MMP is assisted by the local Pokdarwis.

He hopes that the MMP landseascape can become an integrated conservation area. That is, there is harmony between conservation efforts, education, mangrove processed utilization centers, and ecotourism. "All of this boils down to improving the economy of the local community," Fajar explained.

On the other hand, the Surya Perdana Mandiri Mangrove Care Self-Help Group also took part in this year's Youth Pledge commemoration. Together with members of Sispala Kota Singkawang and the Indonesian Conservation Cadre Communication Forum (FK3I), this group planted 1,500 mangroves and cleaned up garbage carried by the sea current, Sunday (29/10/2017).

Chairman of the Surya Perdana Mandiri Mangrove Care Association Jumadi said this effort could help the community's economy. "The mangrove planting that we do invites people not to depend solely on fishing in the sea," he said.

Jumadi also welcomed efforts to establish a north coast forum as an effort to exchange information among mangrove conservation activists as well as a forum for massive and integrated joint movements.

The mangrove care group was established on August 2, 2009, initiated by a group of fishermen named Surya Perdana. In its development, this group put its heart into mangroves. "The mangrove care group that I chair now was born. From the time this organization was born until now, we have planted on 24 hectares of land," Jumadi explained.

WWF-Indonesia's West Kalimantan Program Manager Albertus Tjiu appreciated the simultaneous efforts of mangrove conservation activists on the north coast of West Kalimantan. "We are trying to connect institutions that have the same line of struggle. Hopefully, these institutions can work together in the movement while realizing the north coast as the green shield of West Kalimantan," he concluded.