Lantebung is the only mangrove forest in Makassar city, South Sulawesi. With an area of around 30 hectares, the mangrove forest on the coast of the Makassar Strait is not only an oasis for the city’s residents, but also shields the residents’ houses from the waves and strong winds.
If Saraba, 56, had never encouraged people to replant mangroves in Lantebung, surely the situation would now be very different. Lantebung was once filled with mangroves, which were cut down by villagers who needed land to build houses. Later, people cut down mangroves and sold their land to investors.
Motivated to replant the mangroves, in 2006 Saraba asked some of his neighbors to visit Sinjai, some 220 kilometers east of Makassar. There, they observed the Tongke-Tongke mangrove forest, which was grown by the locals.
In Tongke-Tongke, the father of three children asked them to look around the lush mangrove forests that protect the local villages and also served as tourist attractions. He also asked Tayyeb, his friend, who later initiated the planting of mangroves in Tongke-Tongke, to talk about mangroves and to talk about why replanting mangroves should be done.
"I have talked and invited them to plant mangroves several times, but almost no one cares. Some say it\'s impossible, some say it\'s too hard, and many other reasons. I took the initiative to take them to Tongke-Tongke to see for themselves and hear directly from the residents there that nothing is impossible if there is a will," said Saraba, one afternoon in September, in the Mangrove Lantebung area of Bira subdistrict, Tamalanrea district, Makassar.
They also came to understand that mangroves could protect their homes, which were damaged every year by waves or strong winds.
The visit to Tongke-Tongke finally opened the eyes of the residents that it was not impossible to restore the mangroves in Lantebung. They also came to understand that mangroves could protect their homes, which were damaged every year by waves or strong winds.
From Tongke-Tongke, Saraba also brought back 120,000 mangrove seeds. They then planted the seeds little by little. To make planting faster, Saraba invited the Naval Main Base (Lantamal) VI to participate.
Saraba, who was active in a number of NGOs, also used his network and invited his friends to help with the planting in Lantebung. So, the Lantebung coastline was quickly filled with mangrove plants. The forest is now almost 30 hectares and is more lush than in the 1970s when mangroves still grew in the area.
Indeed, mangroves are not new to the residents of Lantebung. Before the 1970s, the villages bordering the coast of the Makassar Strait were still decorated with mangroves, but mostly only as barriers to ponds and to mark land boundaries.
Cut down
When Makassar began to become crowded and the number of people in Lantebung continued to grow, mangroves were cut down and the land was cleared to build houses. Some residents even sold the cleared land to investors.
Saraba initially did not mind and chose to get busy working for a number of NGOs. Until one day he realized that the residential area where he was born was being increasingly squeezed by development and that almost every year it suffered from disasters due to the waves and strong winds.
"Because more houses and mangroves have been lost, erosion began occurring. During musim barat [rainy season], when the waves and wind are strong, houses can be damaged. There was even a big disaster that caused some houses to be severely damaged by the wind and waves," he said.
Together with locals he successfully greened the settlements with mangroves.
This incident prompted Saraba to realize that their settlement no longer had a shield or protector. Then, he asked residents to reforest the coastline with mangroves. Together with locals he successfully greened the settlements with mangroves.
But he did not stop there. He began to look for added value from the mangrove forests for the people. He invited various parties, such as students, university students, NGOs and companies to make Lantebung a natural laboratory for planting as well as learning about mangroves.
In 2017, Lantebung was opened and developed for tourism. With an entrance fee of Rp 3,000, visitors can enjoy the shade of the mangrove forest and take a walk along the colorful bridge that was built as a walkway between the mangroves. Visitors can also enjoy the sunset on the cool and calm beach.
For residents, this is an opportunity. The women\'s group, for example, farms crabs in the mangroves to make a variety of snacks. Some have also built stalls to sell a variety of snacks, food and drink. As for the fishermen, they have painted their boats various colors and rent them to visitors.
Children and young people in Lantebung are also taught to plant mangroves. Anyone who wants to plant mangroves in Lantebung is required to buy seedlings from a nursery managed by the local youth. The price is Rp 2,000 per seedling.
Residents have been able to earn additional income from the mangroves. While the amount may not be much, it is enough to encourage them to continue to protect the mangroves.
Saraba
Born:25 September 1963
Wife:Khatijah
Children: Asrawati, St Sarfiana Wati, Zulkifli and M Akbar