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Sekat Bakau's Mangrove Initiative in Buruk Bakul
The Sekat Bakau group is developing mangrove protection and restoration activities in Buruk Bakul Village.
Buruk Bakul is a coastal village in Bukit Batu District, Bengkalis Regency, Riau Province, Indonesia. Like other villages along the Bengkalis Strait, it has substantial mangrove resources. Dominant plants include Rhizophora, Avicennia, Xylocarpus granatum, Sonneratia and Nypa fruticans.
Among these, Rhizophora is particularly threatened because it is harvested for firewood, building materials, foundation poles and other uses.
Rhizophora apiculata seedlings aged 2 months. Photo: Khaidir Air, 2020
The Sekat Bakau mangrove conservation group reported that the village formerly had around 400 hectares of mangrove vegetation. Erosion had become increasingly visible, with approximately 100 hectares degraded.
Since 2019, the group, comprising 8 members, has independently raised seedlings and planted mangroves. At the time of reporting, it had raised and planted 3000 seedlings. Strong hydrodynamic forces meant that only around 50% survived. Group Chair Khaidir Air said a hybrid approach to reduce wave forces would be needed.
Sekat Bakau planting mangroves in an eroded area. Photo: Khaidir Air, 2020
The original account describes Rhizophora apiculata seedlings below 50 cm in height as having average biomass of 10 g per tree and carbon uptake of 5 g per tree. For plants 50–100 cm tall, it gives average biomass of 21.07 g and carbon uptake of 10.27 g per tree. For trees above 100 cm, it gives average biomass of 795.06 g and carbon uptake of 397.53 g per tree.
Khaidir Air told Yayasan Gambut: “If just 1 hectare could be replanted with 5,000 seedlings below 50 cm in height and achieve 100% survival, those small mangroves could absorb 25 tonnes of carbon. Imagine them growing well into mature trees—around 1,985 tonnes of carbon dioxide could be absorbed from the air.”