GREEN ACT

Jakarta Green Monster held series of competitions for school students and public to commemorate World Wetland Day 2008 in February. The NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) themed the competition “Conserving Wetland to Protect Jakarta” and offered contest categories in feature writing, painting, waste recycling and photography. The winning piece by Khusnul of YMIK I Manggarai South Jakarta exposed about Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve. The reserve is a mangrove forest, an ecosystem which is environmentally very important for a metropolis Jakarta.

Mangrove forests function to absorb excess rainwater, prevent coastal abrasion and floods, and provide diverse kinds of marine life. Unfortunately, the Muara Karang’s mangrove forest is under threat as the impact of the uncontrollable housing complexes constructions in the area. In addition, malls and trade centers have also been built wildly in open spaces reserved for water parking area. So, when rain pours down, the capital is severely flooded.

Besides to secure the coastal belt, mangrove forest is home to monkeys, marsh birds, monitor lizards and hundreds of insect species. But the forest is now also threatened by huge and endless garbage dumped by residents of the capital into rivers of Ciliwung or Angke which terminate in the reserve. The capital’s 12 million populations are not really aware of the existence of the reserve and its role in sustaining their life.