001-OxC Nurseries and Plantation Activities
In a promising move for the environment, in August 2022, GMT began establishing nurseries as part of the 001-OxC project activities. A total of 48,000 mangrove seeds were collected, covering three species: 24,000 Rhizophora Spp, 12,000 Bruguiera Spp, and 12,000 Ceriops tagal. The nursery was established in Pangkalan Siata, near the homes of local residents, to make monitoring easy. As one of GMT’s missions, GMT encouraged and supported the local villagers to participate in collecting the seeds and nurturing seedlings in the nursery, 15 to 28 persons participated in collecting the mangrove seedlings, and the majority of the participants were local women. To account for any potential tree mortality prior to planting, an additional 10% of seeds are collected beyond the agreed number of trees. The saplings are grown in the nursery for three to four months.
In February 2023, the field team began planting these 48,000 mangrove seedlings in Pangkalan Siata and Pulau Kampai villages to cover 20-26 hectares. Careful consideration had been given to site selection, as not all areas are suitable for planting mangroves. GMT and Yagasu collaborated to determine optimal locations for planting. The site must meet specific criteria, including being located between sea level and the average spring tide and being free of waste, seagrass, shrubs, and soil odor, and being protected from strong water currents, waves, and winds, as well as land erosion.
