South Halmahera. Students from the Community Service and Empowerment Program (KKN-PPM) at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) organized a mangrove planting campaign in Soligi Village on Obi Island, South Halmahera, on Sunday, July 26. The initiative brought together local residents, village officials, the Tongke Community Group, schoolchildren, and Harita Nickel in a joint effort to protect coastal ecosystems and reduce the risk of coastal erosion.

"Before starting my community service program on Obi Island, I researched the area, particularly Soligi Village. I found that the village is closely connected to the coastline. To help prevent coastal erosion and protect residents from its impacts, we initiated this mangrove planting program," said Shofwah, a student from UGM's Faculty of Forestry.

The event began with a brief educational session on the ecological importance of mangroves for coastal environments. Participants then planted mangrove seedlings at designated sites, with students, residents, village officials, members of the Tongke Community Group, schoolchildren, and Harita Nickel employees working together.

According to Shofwah, the success of mangrove restoration depends not only on planting but also on long-term monitoring. She emphasized the importance of collaboration with the Tongke Community Group and Harita Nickel to ensure the seedlings survive.

"I hope regular monitoring will be carried out by both the company and the Tongke Community Group, which was established with the company's support. I plan to coordinate with the group to monitor the seedlings regularly. If any seedlings die or are damaged, they should be replaced so that today's planting effort can succeed," she said.

Aldico Satria Ganesa, Marine Environmental Monitoring Foreman at Harita Nickel, said mangroves provide vital ecological benefits, including serving as habitat for various marine species such as mangrove crabs. They also function as a natural barrier against coastal erosion.

"For that reason, conserving coastal ecosystems is important and should be a shared responsibility," Aldico said.

He noted that Harita Nickel has collaborated extensively with academic institutions on environmental conservation, including Khairun University (Unkhair), and now with UGM's community service team.

"We hope these partnerships will help preserve the environment around Harita Nickel's operational areas," he said.

Aldico added that the period immediately after planting is the most critical for mangrove survival. Newly planted seedlings remain vulnerable to waves and debris carried by currents, making continued care essential.

"Our hope is that the effort does not stop at planting. The survival rate of mangroves is influenced by many factors that can prevent them from growing successfully," he said.

Rusman Baharudin, founder of the Tongke Community Group in Soligi Village, welcomed the continued collaboration to protect local mangroves. He said expanding mangrove coverage would help reduce coastal erosion, which has long threatened the village.

"We hope this effort continues so that mangroves remain preserved in our village and help prevent coastal erosion. It can also encourage local residents to continue protecting the mangroves that already exist in Soligi," Rusman said.

Harita Nickel has been implementing a mangrove restoration program since 2021, gradually expanding it across several coastal areas, including Bacan and Kayoa islands. Throughout 2025, the company planted 8,465 mangrove seedlings, a 124% increase from the previous year, bringing the total rehabilitated mangrove area to approximately 24.9 hectares.

In addition to planting new seedlings and replacing failed ones, the company is developing local seedling nurseries and conducting research on planting media to improve mangrove survival rates.