Last Saturday, 23 April 2022, the Geological Engineering Student Association (HMTG) of Magmadipa celebrated Earth Day by planting mangroves in the Tapak Mangrove Forest. This activity was led by the Public Relations Division of HMTG Magmadipa which was attended by dozens of students accompanied by the lecturers.
The Tapak Mangrove Forest is located in Tapak Village, Tugurejo Village, Tugu District, Semarang City. This area is managed by youth who care about the environment who are members of the Prentjak Community. This community is active in carrying out environmental conservation efforts in coastal areas through planting mangroves and building breakwaters.
This mangrove planting activity is a good medium for students to contribute to efforts to protect coastal areas from abrasion disasters that often occur in this area. The types of mangrove plants planted are from the type of Rhizophora mucronate, which has strong roots so it is good for preventing coastal abrasion. A total of approximately 50 trees have been planted around Tirang Island, which is experiencing the worst abrasion conditions in this mangrove area.
In addition to functioning as a protective plant, mangroves are known to have several other benefits, including being a natural ingredient for environmentally friendly batik dyes. The fruit of the mangrove plant can also be used as an ingredient for making syrups and jams and other types of food.
During the activity, students were not only active in planting but also learned about mangroves and their functions. Materials about mangroves were given by one of the representatives from the Prentjak Community before planting was carried out. During the material, students actively asked about everything related to mangroves. This shows the high enthusiasm of students in this activity.
Contributor: Anis Kurniasih, ST, MT
