For nine years, Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus) has planted more than 35,000 mangroves, which have grown with care and attention. These mangroves were planted as a form of concern of Udinus toward the coastal area. This year, Udinus planted roughly 4,500 mangroves in Mangunharjo, Semarang, on Tuesday, September 10th, 2024.
This activity was a routine agenda to raise concern for the environment. It was also part of a student orientation event named Dinus Inside, which is hosted once annually.
The mangrove planting was conducted under the supervision of Sururi, a caretaker of the Mangrove Conservation Center in Mangunharjo. The planting itself was carried out by students, with them also being taught the importance of preserving the coastal ecosystem and the positive impacts surrounding it.
During her interview, Dr. Kusni Ingsih, M.M., the Vice Chancellor III of Student Affairs, expressed her concern about the rise of coastal erosion within Semarang. According to her, this coastal erosion could raise restlessness among the general public.
“Through this mangrove panting, Udinus has provided a tangible contribution to reducing the risk of coastal abrasion, particularly within the coastal area. Furthermore, we also involved several new students in this mangrove planting activity,” Kusni uttered.
According to her, Udinus has been actively planting mangroves in Mangunharjo Area since 2015, with currently a total of 35,000 mangroves having been planted within the area. Thus far, Udinus collaborated with local caretakers to plant the mangroves.
“We will later involve the Aldakawanaseta Unit at Udinus to routinely take care of the mangroves. This unit itself houses nature-loving students, who would be willing to routinely inspect the location in which the mangroves were planted,” Kusni added.
During his interview, Sururi explained that the mangrove planting had brought positive impacts to the locals. One of the most evident ones is that the mangroves often help fishermen in gathering fish, allowing them to not sail far from the beach. In addition, the soil has also increased in length due to the mangrove rehabilitation.
“We are so helped for this mangrove planting. So far, the impact has reached many locals, and to this day, the mangrove success has been a success, with a significant increase in soil,” Sururi revealed.
For additional information, the second day of the 2024 Dinus Inside involved the whole academic community at Udinus to collectively donate to various sectors. In addition to planting 4,500 mangroves, Udinus also conducted the spread of 20,000 parrotfish seeds and gave groceries to various locations. (Humas Udinus/Alex. Foto: Humas Udinus)
