Collaborative Action on Mangrove Restoration for Jakarta

To raise awareness about mangrove conservation, the Jakarta BKSDA, together with Yayasan Konservasi Alam Nusantara (YKAN) and Dow Indonesia, held an awareness event with the theme "Mangrove for Jakarta - Restoring Mangrove, Protecting Jakarta" on 13 July 2023 at the Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve (SM), North Jakarta.

Dow Indonesia today also announced its commitment to support efforts to preserve a 125 square meter mangrove area at Muara Angke Forest Reserve. This was marked by the symbolic planting of 50 mangrove seedlings by Dow management and employees and interactive discussions, planting mangroves, clearing weeds, and mangrove nurseries.

"The Muara Angke Wildlife Reserve area, which has an area of 25.02 hectares, is the smallest wildlife reserve in Indonesia. However, for the people of DKI Jakarta and its surroundings, Muara Angke SM is an important life support area. This area is also home to 9 true mangrove species, namely Avicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Nypa fruticans, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Sonneratia caseolaris, Acrosticum aureum, Acanthus ilicifolius and Excoecaria agallocha. In addition, this place is also a habitat for various fauna such as saltwater crocodiles, lizards, long-tailed monkeys, snakes, and birds," said the Head of the Jakarta BKSDA Agus Arianto.

Since 2018, the Jakarta BKSDA has been working with YKAN within the framework of the Mangrove Ecosystem Restoration Alliance (MERA) initiative to protect and restore the mangrove ecosystem in Muara Angke. The restoration process at Muara Angke Wildlife Refuge includes installing a trash barrier on the banks of the Angke River, controlling weeds, improving hydrology, stockpiling substrate in areas with high inundation, and planting. This effort is to support strengthening of the function of Muara Angke National Park as a center for education and restoration of mangrove ecosystems in Jakarta.

Preserving the mangrove ecosystem requires the support of all parties, including the private sector. "Synergy is needed to preserve natural resources, including mangrove ecosystems. Multi-stakeholder involvement is a major part of any conservation action. Maximum results will be obtained if the government, community, private sector, and NGOs collaborate and partner strategically," explained YKAN Director of Development and Marketing Ratih Loekito.

President Director of Dow Indonesia, Riswan Sipayung said, "Sustainability is always at the forefront of company actions and decisions, as a form of our responsibility to the environment and future generations. Participating in the preservation of mangrove ecosystems is one of our pillars of Sustainability, namely, Protecting the Climate by protecting natural resources, which are believed to be able to contribute to reducing the rate of carbon emissions. This mangrove planting event is also part of Dow's 50th-anniversary series in Indonesia. We invite employees to participate in environmental restoration and improvement with the spirit of Driving a Sustainable Future through the Spirit of Diversity and Unity."

As part of Global Citizenship, Dow is globally committed to supporting world stakeholders in addressing society's most pressing challenges focused on three main pillars: Protect the Climate, Transform the Waste, and Close the Loop. Dow is committed to reducing carbon emissions by 5 million metric tons by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

"Mangrove ecosystems have a close relationship with climate change. Indonesia's role in mitigating global climate change is vast, so protecting and restoring mangrove ecosystems is an important step that must be carried out as a form of our concern for the world, "concluded YKAN Indonesia Ocean Program Director Muhammad Ilman.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global reach, integration and scale, guided innovation, materials science expertise; leading business position; and environmental, social, and governance leadership to achieve profitable growth and support a sustainable future. The company's ambition is to be the world's most innovative, customer-oriented, inclusive, and sustainable materials science company. Dow's portfolio of plastics, intermediates, coatings, and silicones businesses provides unique science-based products and solutions to customers in fast-growing industries, such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility, and customer applications. Dow operates production facilities in 31 countries and employs approximately 37,800 people. Dow recorded sales of around 57 billion USD in 2022.

In Indonesia, Dow was founded in 1973 and continues to experience growth. In addition to its head office in Jakarta, Dow has a factory in Cilegon, Banten, which produces Styrene Acrylic Emulsion. References to Dow or the Company refer to Dow Inc. and several subsidiaries. For more information, visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter.