In Sumatra, Indonesia, a villager named Harisyah is spearheading mangrove restoration to address significant coastal erosion. The northern coastline is losing over 6 meters of land annually, attributed to subsiding peatland and the removal of mangrove forests for various uses.
Harisyah began his restoration work in 2011, and since becoming village head in 2018, he has used local funds to initiate mangrove restoration. In 2024, he partnered with nonprofits to expand the effort, aiming to restore 25 hectares of degraded mangrove forest. The project involves local youths and schoolchildren to foster long-term stewardship of the ecosystem.
Source: Mongabay