Mangroves Under Threat, Sanur, Bali

Last week I wrote an article about the beauty of the Mangrove Swamps and the delights of strolling through the area along the boardwalks. However it has come to light that the mangroves are now under threat.

The Mangrove forests cover 622 acres in total and have been a natural barrier to tidal waves and erosion as well as a natural habitat to a wide range of wildlife and marine creatures. The article concerned was in the Bali Discovery and apparently a member of the Badung regional parliament is suggesting that control over the Regency's mangrove forests be given to the regional government of Badung.

The risks posed however are not from the regional government of Badung but from property developers and local businesses who are trying to reclaim the forests for commercial purposes.

The proposal put forward regarding the control according to Wayan Puspanegara, a member of Commission B of the Badung Parliament, is not an arrogation of current moves for regional autonomy, but a 'good will' recommendation to preserve the mangroves from various threats. Quoted in the Indonesian language Bali Post Puspanegara cited risks posed to Badung's extensive network of mangroves The local lawmaker also pointed to incidents where solid and liquid wastes are being disposed of in the environmentally sensitive mangrove zones.

Personally I feel it is an excellent move as does another local parliamentarian, Bagiana Karang, who has called for more attention to mangrove preservation to be paid by Bali's provincial government but argues "now is not the time" for control of these areas to be transferred from provincial to regional authorities. Karang called for more coordination between the Provincial Government and the Badung Regency to preserve the mangroves which Karang sees as the "lungs" of the city of Denpasar.

I for one would like to take my friends to see this beautiful place some time in the future and I fully recommend a trip to the place for those who have yet to experience the pleasure.