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Building Mangrove restoration community in Indonesia

Location: Samarinda, Indonesia

Dates: 15th – 18th October 2025

Goal: To build a community of practice of mangrove restoration experts drawn from community groups, NGOs and other key institutions in Samarinda, Indonesia

Partners

Planet Urgence

WWF

yayasan Planet Urgensi Indonesia

TFS

Jonas Philantropy

Presentations of shared lessons learned in mangrove restoration and the key challenges

Theoretical and practical training for restoration site research based on the CBERM approach

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Participants conducted on-site assessments to understand how ecological and social factors shape restoration success

What we did

Planète Urgence works in Indonesia through its local foundation, Yayasan Planet Urgensi Indonesia (YPUI), on projects focused on restoring mangrove and forest ecosystems and conserving biodiversity, particularly in West Java and East Kalimantan. Their work includes reforestation, community engagement on climate change adaptation, and increasing environmental awareness. In partnership with Mangrove Action Project, a comprehensive training workshop on Community-Based Ecological Mangrove Restoration (CBEMR) was organized. The training included a four-day theoretical and field workshop for 20 participants from government agencies, NGOs, CSOs, and Fish farmers.

The first two days of the workshop featured photo-based presentations, small-group discussions, interactive exercises, and videos to understand mangrove biology and ecology. Also include guest lectures from Pokja Pesisr, M4CR, GMA Chapter of learned lessons and key challenges in Mangrove restoration at local, national, and global levels. On the third day, it was carried out a field trip to the Mahakam Delta to understand how ecological and social factors shape restoration success.

 

In the field, participants learned the use of autolevel to measure ground elevation relative to sea level and discussed differences between natural and planted mangroves. The day concluded with an analysis of social research and the importance of community involvement in restoration projects. Last day focused on mapping, implementation, and monitoring, key components of the CBERM process. Participants acknowledged challenges in convincing communities and pond owners of the value of restoration. By integrating scientific knowledge with community engagement, the training helped participants design practical, site-specific restoration strategies. 

“Thank you MAP, it gave me a new perspective on ecologically based mangrove restoration”- Anonymous participant

“I hope this training provides a new perspective on ecologically-based restoration for all institutions and governments with mangrove restoration programs. Mangrove ecosystem restoration is not about numbers, but about tangible benefits.” - Anonymous participant

“Our group understands that restoration is not about the number of trees planted but ratherunderstanding the ecology”- Anonymous participant

Interested in working with us?

Get in touch with us at dominic@mangroveactionproject.org

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