Kate Spinner, The Tampa Tribune 19 Apr 08;
Aboard a Florida Sea Grant vessel in Charlotte Harbor on Wednesday, Mahatma Lanuru points his camera toward land and snaps photos of a mangrove-lined shore wrecked by Hurricane Charley.
The harbor's environment bears a resemblance to Lanuru's native Indonesia - warm winter days, waters inhabited by sea cows, shores knobby with the gray roots of mangroves mangled by natural disaster.
But here, new mangrove shoots are emerging, thanks to volunteers who planted 10,000 seed pods along 5 miles of battered shoreline in October.
It is the new growth that interests Lanuru and his three colleagues, all sent to the United States by their government, with help from the World Bank, to study the politics and science behind successful environmental restoration and protection.
Mangrove restoration has become a high priority for the Indonesian government, especially since the infamous 2004 tsunami devastated the nation's northern Sumatra province, killing more than 110,000 people.
"We need restoration of mangrove areas because it is important to us, particularly to reduce the effects of natural disasters like tsunamis," said Muhandis Sidqi, who organizes environmental education and restoration projects with Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries.
After the disaster that reverberated along coastlines bordering the Indian Ocean, scientists discovered that communities with healthy mangroves suffered significantly less damage and loss of life.
With that in mind, Lanuru, Sidqi and their colleagues spent Wednesday studying mangrove restoration in Charlotte Harbor.
Lanuru, a lecturer in marine science at Hassanuddin State University, said mangroves bestow many other benefits on coastal communities. They help prevent erosion, water pollution and the intrusion of saltwater into drinking wells.
All those benefits are critical to a nation that consists of more than 17,000 islands in an area prone to tropical storms and tsunami-producing earthquakes.
In Charlotte Harbor, where the economy of the surrounding communities relies on recreational fishing and tourism, the impetus behind mangrove restoration was to improve fish habitat.
Betty Staugler, Sea Grant marine agent for Charlotte County, organized the project with help from volunteers: fishermen, university students and residents.
Lanuru, Sidqi and their colleagues, Paulus Boli, a lecturer at Papua State University, and Thomas Petrus Deky Molle, head of marine resources management in the Jayapura Papua province, are part of their country's new Sea Partnership Program, which is being modeled after Sea Grant.
On the tour of Charlotte Harbor, Staugler drove home the point that Sea Grant often starts projects with the intention of letting local government and volunteers eventually take over.
Sometimes, as was the case in helping Charlotte County set up a program to remove abandoned boats, the agency is a resource for assistance.
"Sometimes Sea Grant is the catalyst for getting something done," Staugler said.
She said the program's community-driven approach allows flexibility and change, depending on local needs.
To get a diverse perspective on how Sea Grant programs operate nationwide, the Indonesian researchers spent a month visiting programs in Connecticut, Washington, D.C., North Carolina and Florida. They will return home today.
Sea Grant, which has existed for 30 years, is a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAA is also partnering with the Indonesian government to improve the monitoring of seismic activity and climate in the Indian Ocean to better predict tropical storms and to develop an early warning system for tsunamis.
