Young activists from various communities in Denpasar braved the formidable stench of the swamp every month to collect plastic trash from the mangrove forest in Tuban, Bali. The cleanup drive was part of mangrove monitoring project. It is initiated in early February 2015. The call for participation in the mangrove cleanup drive was warmly accepted by youth from various communities. I often take part in this activity.

Wearing life jacket, the participants descended into the forest by using canoe and started collecting plastic trash, mostly in the form of plastic bottle and colorful shopping bags. I even got an air conditioner plastic pipe. So, during the time, we did not only collect the trash but also enjoy the view in forest. I can see a lot of beautiful birds and purple-colored crabs in the forest. Although I got sunburn but it was fun and nice.

The first thing I learned on this activity is we need more people to do more cleanups before this effort can make a significant impact on the mangrove forest since plastic trash had virtually scattered in it. Also, we need to stop people for littering plastics to land and river because those things will end up in coastal region, such as mangrove forest.

The mangrove forest, locally known as Tahura (People?s Forest Park), is a 10-hectare, open-to-the-public tract, designated as a tourist, educational and research area. It is part of more than 1,300 hectares of conserved mangrove forest in southern Bali. Plastic trash is an omnipresent sight in the forest. The trash covers the trunks and roots of the mangrove. This is a very dangerous thing because mangroves breathe using the roots. Once the roots are covered by plastic trash then it is only a matter of time before the plant dies. Moreover, plastics had poison various animals living in the forest.

Mangroves play important roles in preventing sea erosion and seawater intrusion, and which softens the impact of tsunami.  They are also known as blue carbon sinks because they can transfer and store carbon in their sediments and within plant parts at rates far greater than those of terrestrial forests. Local action, such as a routine mangrove clean up is urgently needed to prevent plastic destroying mangrove forest and its ecosystem.