Mangrove Ecotourism

Community and Conservation-Based Ecotourism in Langkat, North Sumatra.

It should be noted that our mangrove ecotourism stands with the community that we already know as local fighters who prefer mangroves to oil palm plantations. The establishment of this mangrove ecotourism was established on a joint initiative between the local community and SUMECO after a long dead end in maintaining the mangroves in their villages. According to Mongabay news and facts on the ground, several local residents have been imprisoned due to discrimination over their desire to maintain mangroves rather than oil palm plantations.

From Leuser to Mangrove.

The idea of ​​ecotourism was formed because the final solution in preserving mangroves is only through ecotourism after a long process and the existing complexity. Ecotourism requires mangroves and animals that are preserved. Looking at Bukit Lawang, ecotourism has a very important role in preserving and maintaining the Gunung Leuser National Park area. In the future, mangrove ecotourism on the coast of Langkat will be planned as a destination after Bukit Lawang and as a place for boat tours in Sumatra, looking for wild crocodiles and dolphins in Sumatra, birdwatching / birding and herping in mangrove forests, within the title, from Leuser to Mangrove.

Indonesia, an archipelago country, has one of the largest mangrove forest populations in the world, covering 3.2 million hectares. Mangroves have an enormous environmental impact and play an important role in preventing coastal erosion and flooding. In addition, mangroves are highly effective in combating climate change, with research indicating they are more effective than rainforests. Unique dilution and filtration systems enable the mangrove to reduce metal toxins from the water. Also, mangroves are highly biodiverse ecosystems that provide home and sanctuary for a plethora of wildlife. Other benefits for humans include medicines (for malaria, skin burns, and other skin diseases), natural dyes (used in batik), fruits, and fisheries. The environmental and economic value of the mangrove forest is immeasurable.

The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education. Ecotourism offers income and employment for local communities, an opportunity to develop infrastructure in these areas, and build awareness, support, and action for nature conservation.

Ecotourism in mangroves can empower local communities, which have suffered greatly as a result of illegal deforestation and palm plantations. Impacts of these illegal activities include reduction of wildlife, poisoning of waterways from pesticides, coastal erosion, and flooding in nearby villages.

What is Mangrove Ecotourism?

Mangrove ecotourism in Langkat, North Sumatra, aims to foster a deeper understanding of the unique ecosystems while providing sustainable livelihoods for local communities. By engaging visitors in hands-on experiences, such as guided boat tours, birdwatching, and herping activities, participants can appreciate the rich biodiversity of the mangroves while promoting conservation efforts in the region. The mangrove forest in Langkat Regency, North Sumatra covers 50,650 hectares. This makes it the largest in North Sumatra. However, since 2006, Langkat’s mangrove forests have been replaced by palm oil plantations. This conversion has degraded land conditions and natural resources. The degradation of mangrove trees in Langkat has also had an adverse effect on local fishermen. In 2023, 700 hectares of mangrove forest in Langkat were cleared. According to Indonesian Mongabay, the Karang Gading Wildlife Sanctuary in East Langkat has also been degraded and reduced by around 3,500 hectares.

The destruction of mangrove forests in Langkat Regency, North Sumatra, is a growing problem from now to the future. The encroachment on mangrove forests, the majority of which are transformed into oil palm plantations and the wood is mass-produced for charcoal production, has reached an alarming level. The lack of concern and awareness from the community about mangrove conservation is because mangroves do not have high economic value for the community unless they are converted into oil palm plantations. Of course, this is very different from the forests in national parks, where animals like orangutans and elephants play an important role as tourism icons and provide income to indigenous communities. SUMECO has presented an ecotourism initiative in response to the local community’s helplessness and the screams of those who care about mangroves in the face of the mafia.

Where is Mangrove Ecotourism Located?

Tanjung Pura and Gebang are the two sub-districts in North Sumatra’s Langkat Regency where our mangrove ecotourism is situated. Several villages from the two sub-districts, including Kwala Gebang, Kwala Serapuh, Paluh Baru, Kwala Langkat, and Bubun, will be visited during the boat tour we take to observe the mangroves and patrol.

Tanjung Pura is only 65 km or two hours drive from Bukit Lawang. The journey to Tanjung Pura from Bukit Lawang will guide you to know in detail how the deforestation of Sumatra’s rainforests began since the 1980s. It should be noted that the purpose of this ecotourism trip is not just to enjoy your vacation but also to thoroughly comprehend the history of Sumatra’s palm oil plantation-made deforestation and its conservation initiatives through ecotourism.

Conservation Strategic in Langkat Mangrove.

SUMECO’s conservation strategy on Langkat mangrove will be an extension of SUMECO’s conservation strategy on Bukit Lawang. As in Bukit Lawang, hundreds of animals have been rescued, especially those with important conservation status and those with protected legal status, and the rescue of those animals was carried out effectively and efficiently. SUMECO has never carried out animal rescue with wasteful costs or arbitrary actions because SUMECO is funded from personal funds obtained from its ecotourism profits. Through ecotourism economic initiatives, SUMECO will concentrate on strengthening its position and bringing together those who share its concern for mangroves.

Legal Basis: Creative Economy, Ecotourism and Conservation.

The right to a good and healthy environment is part of Human Rights which is included in the Right to Life group as regulated in Article 28H paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and Article 9 paragraph (3) of Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights. In addition, every citizen is obliged to respect the rights of others to a good and healthy environment as stipulated in Article 28J of the 1945 Constitution.

As part of Human Rights, the state must respect, fulfill, and protect the rights of every citizen to a good and healthy environment. The community also has a role in efforts to fulfill the right to a good and healthy environment, including receiving environmental education, access to information, access to participation, and access to justice.

Authorities and law enforcement officers are obliged to process the actions of a person and/or group of people who commit alleged criminal acts in the field of natural resource and ecosystem conservation in order to fulfill the community’s right to a good and healthy environment. This aims to ensure that the utilization of natural resources is carried out in a sustainable manner so that it can fulfill the needs of many people and prevent natural resource utilization activities that cause environmental damage.

In modern times like today, economic development is the most important part in increasing economic growth in a country, especially Indonesia, through the creative economy, new breakthroughs are needed, especially in the field of ecotourism based on conservation, art, and culture.

Law Number 24 of 2019 concerning the Creative Economy was formed to provide a basis for legal certainty to the Government and/or Regional Governments in creating and developing a creative economic ecosystem, it is necessary to regulate the creative economy. Indonesia has a wealth of cultural heritage that needs to be utilized as a product that creates added value through the development of the creative economy to advance public welfare. In this case, the Government and/or Regional Governments are responsible for creating and developing a creative economic ecosystem so that it can contribute to the national economy and increase global competitiveness in order to achieve sustainable development goals.

We understand what tourists want, but we also feel that creating something enjoyable for everyone needs hard work. The environmental devastation that occurs in practically every section of Indonesia is inextricably linked to the existing issue of human resources in Indonesia. As a result, SUMECO thinks that this mangrove ecotourism concept could be successful and applicable to protect the mangrove and its animals in this region through raising awareness and providing complete knowledge. SUMECO will always be willing and bold to accept criticism and feedback. Nothing is flawless, but we are always willing to help nature, particularly animals, and to learn from our mistakes.

All the ecotourism activities here will always use boats; the purpose of the use of the boat is to assist with mangrove monitoring, birdwatching, seeing other animals, and facilitate movement from one village to another. In order to fully comprehend the activities taking place in this mangrove ecotourism region, visitors will spend an entire day on the boat with an English-speaking guide. In addition to boosting the local economy, the usage of this boat will hopefully increase awareness that ecotourism can only thrive as long as mangroves and all of their aniamals are preserved. Based on what we have learned and found in the mangrove ecotourism area, SUMECO sees that there is a lot of potential in the area. Some of the activities that we will offer are:

1. Boat tours will be the main transportation for exploring the rivers and seas in the mangrove ecotourism area.
2. Herping around the mangroves and villages.
3. Camping on the beach with a view of the sea.
4. Looking for crocodiles by taking a boat tour at night.
5. Birdwatching from the boat with lunch and fruit salad.
6. Floating restaurant and bungalow.

According to several studies, mangroves have the capacity to store enormous amounts of carbon, both above and below the surface. This capacity is far larger than that of terrestrial forests; that’s why mangroves have the status of nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration and are home to many species. According to our survey, there are 9 types of mangrove plants in our Langkat Mangrove Ecotourism area: Avicennia marina, Avicennia marina var. rumphiana, Bruguiera parviflora, Bruguiera sexangula, Casuarina equisetifolia, Ceriops taga, Excoecaria agalocha, Rhizophora apiculata Blume, and Xylocarpus granatum.

We will always respectfully urge locals to save more mangroves from the threat of deforestation for palm oil plantations in order to guarantee the smooth process of our mangrove ecotourism project. Many species will settle in a protected mangrove area, and as a result, tourists will be coming to see animals in mangroves.