REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUPANG -- The World Wide Fund (WWF) Indonesia has appealed to the administration of Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, to preserve mangroves in the coastal areas in a bid to protect the sea ecosystem.

"We understand that there is tourism development in the coastline areas. However, we must protect the mangrove areas, and if any harm has been incurred then we need to rehabilitate them," Zakarias Atapada, the deputy of WWF Indonesia's Coastline Empowerment Field Office of East Nusa Tenggara, stated here on Wednesday.

WWF Indonesia has observed the development of tourism along the coastline areas in Kupang.

Zakarias explained that development has occurred across all coastline areas in the city, and hence, had an impact on the sea and coastline ecosystems as several mangrove areas had been cleared.

Tourism development by building hotels, restaurants, and other facilities should be followed up by the rehabilitation of mangroves to preserve the ecosystem.

WWF Indonesia provides an advocacy and understanding of the importance and urgency to rehabilitate mangrove areas to the administration and business community.

Mangroves protect the coastal areas from abrasion and erosion and also reduce the impact of giant sea waves, including the ones generated by tsunami.

Mangroves grow along the coastlines of Kupang. The number of mangroves in the areas varies in accordance with the availability of soil nutrients and mud in the environment.

Zakarias explained that the substrate composition in the coastal areas can differ from one location to another.

The substrates can be highly sand-composed mud or coral fragment-dominated materials.

"This composition determines the lifespan and type of mangroves," Zakarias added.

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