University students conducting mangrove monitoring activities at a planting site at Pengudang, Teluk Sebong, Bintan. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
Pak Iwan Winarto, founder of Pengudang Mangrove School situated in the Telok Sebong district of Bintan, has led multiple groups of local and international visitors into the mangrove forests of Pengudang since 2016. At night, themangrove forest is completely dark, other than the light beam from his torch and the fireflies flickering amidst the tree branches. According to him, their presence is a sign of a healthy mangrove ecosystem.
From the sampan, one may notice oysters growing on the stilt roots of the Rhizophora trees, visible under clear water. Other animals, such as tiny jumping shrimps, crabs, and small fishes darting through the water, serve as reminders of the rich biodiversity supported by mangrove forests.
Stilt roots of the Rhizophora trees often serve as important habitats for fish, oysters, and other marine animals. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
Stilt roots of the Rhizophora trees often serve as important habitats for fish, oysters, and other marine animals. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
Since the Pengudang Mangrove School started in 2016, the organisation has worked with local government partners, universities such as Raja Ali Haji Maritime Universityparticipants as young as six to promote mangrove education through ecotourism activities. Some of the activities they conduct regularly include mangrove planting and firefly tours.
Entrance of Pengudang Mangrove School, Teluk Sebong, Bintan. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
Entrance of Pengudang Mangrove School, Teluk Sebong, Bintan. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
Pak Iwan showing how to plant mangrove propagules with visitors. Most of the time, the community plants three to five propagules together in a single hole. According to Pak Iwan, this helps to prevent them from being washed away by the tides. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
Pak Iwan showing how to plant mangrove propagules with visitors. Most of the time, the community plants three to five propagules together in a single hole. According to Pak Iwan, this helps to prevent them from being washed away by the tides. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
These ecotourism initiatives have provided the villagers, who traditionally rely on fishing, with sustainable alternatives. The seasonal work of fishers can be challenging, especially during the monsoon months from January to April, when fish catch declines markedly. During this time, fishermen often depend on middlemen, known as towkayfinancial support to tide them through the months during which they are unable to fish. Through these initiatives, the villagers can supplement their income, through hosting homestays, guiding mangroves and firefly tours, conducting workshops where they share their skills and knowledge in cooking bamboo craft, honey farming and others.
Brownies made with mangrove propagules made and sold by Mak Eha, a resident in Pengudang Village. She sells them to visiting guests at the Pengudang Mangrove School. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
Brownies made with mangrove propagules made and sold by Mak Eha, a resident in Pengudang Village. She sells them to visiting guests at the Pengudang Mangrove School. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
Ecotourism has also stimulated infrastructural development in the village. In 2010, Pengudang hosted their inaugural Pengudang Seafood Festival, where locals showcased a variety of seafood. Cars from all over Bintan lined up the beaches as visitors flocked to the event. Due to its success, the village managed to get permission and by ugh the village. In 2011, after another successful run of the festival, the village was able to set up a stable electricity connection.
Women from Pengudang Village performing during the annual Seafood Festival. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
Women from Pengudang Village performing during the annual Seafood Festival. Courtesy NTU CCA Singapore.
The school also works with marine scientists at the Raja Ali Haji Maritime University (UMRAH) in Tanjungpinang to carry out mangrove planting work. To date, they have planted approximately 12,000 mangrove saplings, and they are actively monitoring the growth of these saplings.
In the video below, Pak Iwan shares about community-led mangrove restoration initiatives he leads with his team. We also hear from Faiz Mulana Darmawan, a university student from UMRAH who participated in the mangrove planting and monitoring project, on his learnings from the experience.
Video
Demonstration of how mangroves can act as natural coastal
CONTRIBUTORS
Iwan Winarto
Founder of Pengudang Mangrove School
Iwan Winarto runs the community space, Pengudang Mangrove School in Bintan, Indonesia and has started various ecotourism initiatives to support the Pengudang village including mangrove tours, restoration projects and homestays. The Pengudang Mangrove school focuses largely on educating locals and tourists on the importance of protecting mangrove forests that face local and existential threats and initiates mangrove restoration projects around Bintan Island.
