Regent of the Thousand Islands, Muhammad Fadjar Churniawan, led the planting of 1,000 mangrove seedlings at the Jembatan Pengantin area on Pulau Untung Jawa, presenting the exercise as proof that small islands deserve big policy attention. The editorial mood is supportive, but not starry-eyed: coastal protection is not a photo opportunity, it is a necessity in an era of abrasion and extreme weather. Fadjar said the effort reflected his administration’s commitment to shielding vulnerable shorelines. It was framed as a collaboration between the local government and the Food Security, Marine and Agriculture Agency, known as KPKP, short for the regional food, fisheries, and farming authority.
The Regent explained that the mangrove drive followed an instruction from Governor of Jakarta, Pramono Anung, to strengthen natural coastal defenses through sustained greening. He added that while waves were high during the trip to the island, the planting went ahead smoothly. His administration is now preparing nearly 50,000 additional seedlings to be planted in stages across the archipelago. The ambition signals scale, but also raises the inevitable question of follow-through.
Fadjar stressed that Pulau Untung Jawa, with its modest land area, remains highly exposed to abrasion and extreme weather. He said mangroves serve as the first buffer against strong winds and high waves before they reach residential areas, while also preserving marine ecosystems and providing habitat for fish and birds that support tourism. Beyond planting, his office is trimming large trees considered prone to falling in dense settlements and promoting the cultivation of breadfruit, an endemic crop of the islands. In this framing, environmental policy becomes daily housekeeping rather than grand rhetoric.
Community voices reinforced the urgency behind the policy language. Head of RW 03, Basri, said the eastern side of the island still lacks proper wave barriers, making mangroves essential as a natural shield. He and other residents pledged to help care for the seedlings so that abrasion can be reduced over the long term. The editorial takeaway is clear: when local leaders plant trees with their citizens rather than for their cameras, coastal resilience stops being a slogan and starts becoming a shared obligation.
Alexander Jason – Redaksi
