Kalimantan is the third largest island in the world and is rich in biodiversity and natural resources. The Mang Pawar Mangrove Park in Mang Pawar district, north of Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, and the surrounding coastal area are important recreational sites and fishing operations for the local community. In addition, the ecosystem services of mangrove forests such as siltation and soil stabilisation, wind and wave protection, and eco-tourism also benefit the community residents, especially the vulnerable groups such as women, persons with disabilities, and children.
In order to better protect the important local mangrove ecosystem, the project cooperated with the local community to build an integrated service centre for mangrove restoration, which was used as a base to promote the active participation of the residents of two local communities in mangrove patrols through popular science education; and set up a 200 square metre mangrove ecological nursery, which used coconut shells as Petri dishes to cultivate 10,000 mangrove seedlings and created a 1km-long mangrove nursery through the installation of an ecological seawall. The project has also enhanced the livelihood income of local community residents through the development of mangrove-based eco-products such as mangrove nectar, mudflat aquaculture, and mangrove cake, as well as capacity training.
