REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BENGKULU -- Several students and environmental activists of the Youth Care Forum from Bengkulu (FPPB) will undertake a coral reef rehabilitation program in Tikus Island, Bengkulu, to commemorate Earth Day 2015.
"We are going to carry out coral reef transplantation to rehabilitate the reefs in the island," Fermi Vandalis, the coordinator of the forum, stated here on Tuesday (21/4).
He explained that coral reef transplantation will be carried out by several divers from Rafflesia Bengkulu Diving Club (RBDC) on April 22.
We have prepared a stack transplantation system made of iron and cement to grow the coral reefs.
According to Fermi, coral reefs are the main focus of the environmental activists in commemorating Earth Day 2015.
He explained that Tikus Island, with a land area of 0.8 hectares and located about 7 miles from Bengkulu city, should be conserved as it has several strategic functions.
"Tikus Island is the last protecting fortress for Bengkulu from the tsunami disaster," Fermi pointed out.
In addition, the island, which is sustained by 100 hectares of coral reefs, provides shelter to fishermen during the bad weather and serves as a habitat for marine biotas.
Coordinator of RBDC Edy Saputra remarked that coral reef transplantation helps to accelerate the regeneration of damaged coral reefs.
Data obtained by the RBDC reveals that 40 percent of Tikus Island's coral reefs were damaged in 2013 due to the use of environmentally unfriendly fishing equipment and the result of other exploitation activities.
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