Integrate local cultural values in mangrove management

Oct 13, 2025 by thesweetdesigns.com 107 views

Introduction

Mangrove rehabilitation is a crucial activity to protect the coastal ecosystem and support the sustainability of the life of the people who depend on these natural resources. In Pulau Sembilan Village, Langkat Regency, an evaluation of mangrove rehabilitation is carried out using Rhizophora Apiculata seeds. This study aimed to assess the success rate of planting and the effect of rehabilitation on the social and cultural aspects of the local community. The study took place from May to September 2015, and the results of this evaluation will be discussed in this article.

Methodology

The study was conducted in Pulau Sembilan Village, Langkat Regency, using Rhizophora Apiculata seeds for mangrove rehabilitation. The study aimed to evaluate the success rate of planting and the effect of rehabilitation on the social and cultural aspects of the local community. The study involved 100 respondents from the local community, who were asked to participate in a survey to assess their response to rehabilitation activities and their perception of the impact of rehabilitation on their social and cultural lives.

Results

The results of the study showed that the success rate of planting mangrove seeds was quite good, with a percentage of life reaching 72%. This indicates that the rehabilitation activities carried out have succeeded in creating new habitat for coastal flora and fauna and restoring the function of damaged ecosystems. In addition, the community's response to rehabilitation activities was very positive, with 91.67% of respondents showing support for these activities and 88.33% expressing the desire to be involved in similar programs in the future.

From the social side, mangrove rehabilitation has a significant influence, with 58.33% of people feeling a positive impact. The community involved in rehabilitation activities not only benefits from environmental aspects but also experiences an increase in awareness of the importance of maintaining mangrove ecosystems. This can strengthen relations between community members and increase solidarity in protecting the environment.

However, the influence of mangrove rehabilitation on the cultural aspects of the community looks less strong, with only 35% of respondents who feel the impact. Resources from mangrove forests seem to be rarely used in local traditional events. This shows that although rehabilitation provides ecological and social benefits, efforts to integrate local cultural values in mangrove management still need to be improved.

Discussion

Pulau Sembilan Village community has great potential to develop customary practices involving the utilization of mangrove forest resources in cultural events, so as to increase the added value of mangrove rehabilitation. Cooperation between the government, NGOs, and local communities is very important in the success of these conservation programs in order to have a broad impact, not only in terms of the environment, but also in the social and cultural aspects of the community.

The evaluation of mangrove rehabilitation in Pulau Sembilan Village shows satisfying results, both in terms of ecological and social. With high community support, the sustainability of the rehabilitation program can be a good example for other villages in an effort to maintain biodiversity and improve the quality of life of the local community. This success must be balanced with efforts to integrate local culture into environmental recovery programs so that the benefits can be felt holistically by the community.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the evaluation of mangrove rehabilitation in Pulau Sembilan Village shows that the rehabilitation activities have succeeded in creating new habitat for coastal flora and fauna and restoring the function of damaged ecosystems. The community's response to rehabilitation activities was very positive, with 91.67% of respondents showing support for these activities and 88.33% expressing the desire to be involved in similar programs in the future.

However, the influence of mangrove rehabilitation on the cultural aspects of the community looks less strong, with only 35% of respondents who feel the impact. Efforts to integrate local cultural values in mangrove management still need to be improved. Pulau Sembilan Village community has great potential to develop customary practices involving the utilization of mangrove forest resources in cultural events, so as to increase the added value of mangrove rehabilitation.

Recommendations

Based on the results of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Integrate local cultural values in mangrove management: Efforts to integrate local cultural values in mangrove management should be improved to increase the added value of mangrove rehabilitation.
Develop customary practices involving mangrove forest resources: Pulau Sembilan Village community should develop customary practices involving the utilization of mangrove forest resources in cultural events to increase the added value of mangrove rehabilitation.
Cooperation between the government, NGOs, and local communities: Cooperation between the government, NGOs, and local communities is very important in the success of these conservation programs in order to have a broad impact, not only in terms of the environment, but also in the social and cultural aspects of the community.

Limitations of the Study

This study has several limitations, including:

Small sample size: The study involved only 100 respondents from the local community, which may not be representative of the entire community.
Limited scope: The study only evaluated the success rate of planting and the effect of rehabilitation on the social and cultural aspects of the local community, and did not evaluate other aspects of the rehabilitation program.

Future Research Directions

Future research should focus on:

Evaluating the long-term impact of mangrove rehabilitation: Future research should evaluate the long-term impact of mangrove rehabilitation on the social and cultural aspects of the local community.
Developing customary practices involving mangrove forest resources: Future research should focus on developing customary practices involving the utilization of mangrove forest resources in cultural events to increase the added value of mangrove rehabilitation.
Cooperation between the government, NGOs, and local communities: Future research should focus on cooperation between the government, NGOs, and local communities in the success of these conservation programs in order to have a broad impact, not only in terms of the environment, but also in the social and cultural aspects of the community.

Q: What is mangrove rehabilitation?

A: Mangrove rehabilitation is an important activity to protect the coastal ecosystem and support the sustainability of the life of the people who depend on these natural resources. It involves the restoration of damaged or degraded mangrove forests to their original state, which can help to maintain biodiversity, improve water quality, and provide habitat for various species of plants and animals.

Q: Why is mangrove rehabilitation important for Pulau Sembilan Village?

A: Mangrove rehabilitation is important for Pulau Sembilan Village because it can help to maintain the health of the coastal ecosystem, which is essential for the livelihoods of the local community. The rehabilitation of mangrove forests can also help to reduce the impact of natural disasters such as tsunamis and storms, and provide a source of income for local communities through the harvesting of mangrove products.

Q: What are the benefits of mangrove rehabilitation for the local community?

A: The benefits of mangrove rehabilitation for the local community include:

Improved livelihoods: Mangrove rehabilitation can provide a source of income for local communities through the harvesting of mangrove products.
Increased food security: Mangrove forests provide a source of food for local communities, including fish, shellfish, and other seafood.
Improved water quality: Mangrove forests help to maintain water quality by filtering out pollutants and sediments.
Increased biodiversity: Mangrove forests provide habitat for a wide range of plant and animal species, which can help to maintain biodiversity.

Q: What are the challenges of mangrove rehabilitation?

A: The challenges of mangrove rehabilitation include:

Limited funding: Mangrove rehabilitation requires significant funding to implement and maintain.
Limited community engagement: Mangrove rehabilitation requires the active participation of local communities to be successful.
Limited technical capacity: Mangrove rehabilitation requires specialized technical skills to implement and maintain.
Limited access to markets: Mangrove products may not have access to markets, which can limit their value to local communities.

Q: How can local communities get involved in mangrove rehabilitation?

A: Local communities can get involved in mangrove rehabilitation by:

Participating in community-based mangrove rehabilitation programs: These programs can provide training and support for local communities to implement and maintain mangrove rehabilitation activities.
Harvesting mangrove products: Local communities can harvest mangrove products such as wood, leaves, and fruit, which can provide a source of income.
Providing labor and resources: Local communities can provide labor and resources to support mangrove rehabilitation activities.
Advocating for mangrove conservation: Local communities can advocate for the conservation of mangrove forests and the protection of their rights to these resources.

Q: What is the role of government and NGOs in mangrove rehabilitation?

A: The government and NGOs play a crucial role in mangrove rehabilitation by:

Providing funding and technical support: The government and NGOs can provide funding and technical support to implement and maintain mangrove rehabilitation activities.
Providing training and capacity building: The government and NGOs can provide training and capacity building for local communities to implement and maintain mangrove rehabilitation activities.
Advocating for mangrove conservation: The government and NGOs can advocate for the conservation of mangrove forests and the protection of the rights of local communities to these resources.
Providing access to markets: The government and NGOs can provide access to markets for mangrove products, which can increase their value to local communities.

Q: What are the long-term benefits of mangrove rehabilitation?

A: The long-term benefits of mangrove rehabilitation include:

Improved livelihoods: Mangrove rehabilitation can provide a source of income for local communities through the harvesting of mangrove products.
Increased food security: Mangrove forests provide a source of food for local communities, including fish, shellfish, and other seafood.
Improved water quality: Mangrove forests help to maintain water quality by filtering out pollutants and sediments.
Increased biodiversity: Mangrove forests provide habitat for a wide range of plant and animal species, which can help to maintain biodiversity.

Q: What are the potential risks of mangrove rehabilitation?

A: The potential risks of mangrove rehabilitation include:

Damage to mangrove forests: Mangrove rehabilitation activities can damage mangrove forests if not implemented carefully.
Displacement of local communities: Mangrove rehabilitation activities can displace local communities if not implemented with their consent.
Loss of traditional knowledge: Mangrove rehabilitation activities can lead to the loss of traditional knowledge and practices of local communities.
Increased vulnerability to natural disasters: Mangrove rehabilitation activities can increase the vulnerability of local communities to natural disasters such as tsunamis and storms.