MANGROVE AS LUNGS OF THE CITY

THE PROPOSAL BY INDIRA DHARMASAMITHA

I. PREFACE
As a young Balinese Student, I fell very proud to be one of community. However, recently, from the information that I get and from the fact that I saw I fell very afraid about the future of Bali and our planet, especially in connection of the increasing of air pollution. The number of vehicle and motorbike increased rapidly in Bali and in Indonesia. It produces tons of oxidant gas to the air. The development of new houses and settlement reduce our agricultural and forestry. Air pollution is like a nightmare for people who live at Denpasar City Bali, where I live with my family and the communities. I should do something to save the future of Bali environment because I love Bali very much.

II. PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS
There are some practical solution already made by the government and my faculty member at Faculty of Medicine Udayana University. Firstly, starting on January 2010, every Sunday from 06.00 to 11.00 the Government of Denpasar City held a Car Free Day at some area such as the Central City Park Renon and the Central Government Office. The program will reduce the use of cars and motorbike and attract people to use bike and jogging. Although the program is very accepted by the community, the limited facility of parking area in the city still problem for the transportation. Secondly, the medical student support organization in my faculty (name Tim Bantuan Medis Janar Duta) in collaboration with some stake holders such as the faculty and university members, local governments, school students, and local community have a plastic waste cleaning up program and mangrove plantation program annually. As a medical student, I much involved in this program as a volunteers.

III. MY PROJECT : THE CAMPAIGN OF MANGROVE FOREST AS LUNGS OF THE CITY
Global warming has been the world’s big issue. People talk a lot about their defense mechanism, but ironically, the people still cut trees, produced tons of oxidant gas, contaminates the river, bomb the coral reef, and other things that damaged our lovely planet. One of their reasons is the economic growth. We do have a lot of government policy to protect our environment, but very difficult to implement in the community. Can we just watch our environment depraved slowly but sure? I can’t do it. We must prevent the worst thing which could happen and how the environment protection and economic growth can go hand in hand. The above statement has been refuted in several studies in which economic growth is considered to behave indiscriminately with regard to environmental protection, and have prescribed the need for direct governmental intervention by taxing the use of natural resources in order to protect the environment.

In the other hand, Mangrove is one of potential way which can solve this problem. A study on plants species sighted around mangrove information centre of Ngurah Rai Mangrove Forest (Tahura Ngurah Rai), Southern of Bali province (Indonesia), was undertaken in March 2004. The plants sighted on both sides of the mangrove trail were listed. Their potential as ecotourism attractions was then identified. Results of the study showed that there were 42 plant species identified around mangrove trail of this forest. Twelve mangrove species in this ecosystem may act as major attractions to the tourists doing tracking there. Information on protected species, the potential use of plants for humans, such as for animal fodder, medicine, the use in ancient Balinese community, in traditional way of life of Balinese which is last until now, the use for offering in Hindu’s ceremony may also be interesting for tourists.

IV. THE OBJECTIVES
1. To socialize Mangrove Forest as The Lungs of City either for the community or tourist.
2. To give a clean air for the city by doing Reforestation Mangrove Event.
3. Increasing the awareness of community especially since childhood about protecting environment especially Mangrove Forest.
4. Making Mangrove Forest as environment education holiday destination of family, school, or tourist by joining Ecotourism or Clean Up The Mangrove Forest program
5. Gain income from tickets and use it for cultivation of Mangrove Forest.

V. DELIVERABLES
1. Socializing Mangrove as Lungs of City to Elementary School student. I can use video, fun board, or merchandise to attract their attention. Besides that, we persuade the Head Principal of Elementary School to make Mangrove Forest as one of destination of their Environment Education Program on holiday.
2. Making flyer, t-shirt, and posters which contains of the theme Mangrove Forest as a Lung of The City and persuade people to come to Mangrove Forest as well and put them on potential area such as; Immigration office, Mall, Central Park, School, etc.
3. By organizing an event, which already has done annually by my Faculty, REFOREST MANGROVE EVENT, and invite people to join them and having so much fun there.

VI. THE BUDGET
The budget for my project will come from the merchandise ( such as t-shirt, badges, laptop case, and hat) made by the committee with special design theme THE MANGROVE AS A LUNG OF THE CITY. The member of committee is me (Indira Dharmasamitha) as a coordinator; Parinatra Candrarkanugraha as a project design and marketing, and some supporting staff. Total budget needed is Rp.9,000,000,- ( nine million rupiah).


VII. THE GAIN TO PROMOTE OG OUR ENVIRONMENTS
The proposal will have gain from the profit of the merchandise with 10 to 25 % increase the price of production. Other funding will plan to get from local government, private company as a Corporate Social Responsibility funding, and entering tickets to the Mangrove Park. Total funding predicted is about Rp. 20.000.000,-(twenty million rupiah). All the money will use for the promotion of mangrove forest as a lung of the city, so we should protect the mangrove to reduce air pollution and save our health.

VIII. CONCLUSION : THE HOPE FOR A BETTER FUTURE OF BALI & OUR PLANET

As a medical student with some experience in organize the campaign activity for serve the community, I feel optimistic to get support from all stakeholders. The budget needed in this project is Rp.9,000,000,- with support by the committee as a volunteer.
Economically, this funding will increase rapidly as long as the campaign reach the target such as the parents of the school students, the owner of tourism industry in Bali such as hotels, restaurants, and travel agents, and of course the local government and local leaders. The total funding about Rp. 20,000,000,- is very realistic because of the involvement of the tourism industry responsibility program. To gain the 10 to 25 % profits using the environmental campaign is also realistic. People will buy the merchandise with theme MANGROVE FOREST AS LUNG OF THE CITY because they understand that for buying the product, they involve in the campaign to reduce air pollution. On the other hand, the issue of protecting the environment is very strong within the community, especially in Bali which known as the Best Island in The World or the Island of Paradise. The issue of the important of being involve in this project give information that this project have an economic sense.
Environmentally, this project will increase the awareness of the community about the important of mangrove forest for the health. Starting the campaign to the school students, then spread to their parents and the tourism industry sector will become a big impact to the world. If the campaign reach more audience then environmentally this project is very effective to save our future.

*this proposal is selected for Bayer Young Environmental Envoy 2010 Competition