Mangrove Forests as Physical Barrier of Tsunami in Acehby | 28-01-2013 10:37 |
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   Do you still remember a great calamity given by God to Aceh people? This calamity may be reported internationally by some agencies of news in other countries outside of Indonesia itself. Billions of human beings was died and the devastation of others buildings and materials could not be estimated. It was God sign to ascertain what the positive side of this calamity. In 2004, huge disaster, Tsunami swept the land of Serambi Mekah, Aceh, but there are some marvel there which were some mosques, the place for worship the Alloh, were strongly stand up beside of the damage buildings (look at the 1stnd picture). In fact, despite that marvel, there were scientific value of the function of mangrove restoration. As we know, mangrove forests are the main life-supporting ecosystem of living creatures in coastal area. Indonesian mangrove forest in 2005 was 3.0623 million ha or 19% of the total of mangrove forest in the world which is larger than the mangrove forests in Australia (10%) and Brazil (7%) (FAO, 2007). According to the Ministry of Environment (2008), mangrove forests in are Indonesia amounted to 9,204,840.32 ha, while undamaged mangrove forest is 2,548,209.42 ha (look at the 3rd photo). Indeed, some researchers reported that when Tsunami swept Aceh, mangrove forests obstructed these waves to damage the buildings and reduce the rate of waves.It is the initial function of mangrove forest in obstructing the high wave of Tsunami. Therefore, the role of mangrove forest here is as physical barriers of Tsunemi. Today, many institutions involving theirselves in mangrove forest restoration awared and realized that the mangrove forests are very potential outlet in preventing the Tsunami. Even, they can mitigate the storm in sea. Although, after tsunami happening, the damage of mangrove forests also ensued, they were brought about by two mechanisms: the 1st mechanism is the high energy of the Tsunami, which directly struck the coast and destroyed mangrove forests the inundation by the sea water brought by the Tsunami, the high salinity of which caused coastal vegetation to become stressed (Wibisono and Suryodiputro, 2006). Apparently, from the above explanation regarding Tsunami happening in Aceh, we can get lessons learned which are: we must start to preserve and rehabilitate our mangrove forest and be caution in preventing something will be going on??Prevention is better than cure?. References: FAO. , 2007. The world's mangroves 1980-2005. Forest Resources Assessment Working Paper No.153. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. KLH. , 2008. The Status of Environment in Indonesia 2007. Jakarta: Ministry of Environment. Wibisono and Suryodiputro. 2006. Study of Lessons Learned from Mangrove/Coastal Ecosystem Restoration Efforts in Aceh since the Tsunami. Wetlands International Indonesia Programme. |
