Mangrove transplantation in Brebes Regency, Indonesia: Lessons and recommendations

Despite repeated efforts to transplant mangroves to stop coastal erosion, the Brebes coasts were severely eroded between 2010 and 2013. Effective coastal erosion control in Brebes is not possible if the current situation is not adequately addressed and problems not properly identified. This study applied participatory action research methods for critically reviewing current mangrove transplantation projects in Brebes Regency, Indonesia. Mangrove transplantation has had limited success in restoring Brebes eroding coasts. Inefficient nursery operation, the wrong choice of mangrove species, improper transplantation techniques, poor coastal protection, and inadequate ongoing monitoring and evaluation significantly contributed to the limited success. Inadequate monitoring and evaluation meant that few lessons were learnt and the same mistakes continued to be made. Recommendations for production of mangrove seedlings, mangrove transplantation techniques, and monitoring and evaluation are provided to ensure effective mangrove transplantation in the future in Brebes Regency, Indonesia.