Jon Afrizal, Ujungjabung – Coastal erosion is continuing at a steady rate along the east coast of Sumatra, especially in East Tanjungjabung regency in Jambi, due to the destruction of mangrove forests.

Data from the Tanjungjabung Forestry and Agriculture Office shows that as many as 42,000 hectares, or 70 percent of the 60,000 hectares of mangrove forest in the easternmost regency in Jambi are in a critical state, with the worst devastation occurring in Sungaiitik, Sungaijambak and Sungaicemara villages.

Based on a recent survey conducted by a local non-governmental environmental group, Gita Buana, a kilometer width of coastland, stretching as far as five km from Kuala Sungaisadu and Ujungjabung, has been adversely affected by erosion.

The coastal area from Ujungjabung to Paritmelintang, spanning 5 km, extends for some 1 km inland. These areas are located along the Berhala strait, bordering the South China Sea.

"Erosion and land extension have been going on for the past 10 years," executive director of Jambi's Gita Buana, M. Hartono, told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Hartono said that mangrove forest destruction was due to the cyclic process of nature, but added that humans were also to blame.

"Humans are the ones who have illegally felled the trees that act as a buffer against pounding tides," he said.

According to Hartono, a mangrove forest in the area consists of four protective layers of trees. The first layer, directly facing the sea, consists of palm and Api-api trees, the second layer is trees with deeper roots and the third layer, mangrove trees. The fourth layer, facing inland, consists of pedada trees.

"The worst damage was detected in the first and second buffer layers," he said.

The straight Api-api trees, measuring more than 5 meters in height, are usually taken by fishermen for poles for their fish traps, with each trap using at least 10 poles.

There are 65 such traps found in the three villages. These traps are usually used during the southerly season, from March to July each year.

Mangrove trees are usually used by residents for firewood, as well as for making charcoal.

"The erosion has resulted in seawater intrusion in residents' farms, causing coconut and secondary crops to fail to grow normally," said Sungaiitik village chief, Abidin.

The chronic coastal erosion has eventually raised people's awareness since their livelihood has been affected. "Conservation efforts will improve the lives of the people," said Abidin.

Residents from the three villages are making efforts to replant the second layer of the buffer zone with mangrove trees.

They have agreed to plant as many as 1,000 mangrove seedlings each month, without any given time span.

A few years ago, the local administration carried out the replanting of the second layer, but the effort was unsuccessful because waves immediately swept away the seedlings before they had a chance to take root in the soil.