International Seminar on Mangrove

One week ago, Jenderal Soedirman University (UNSOED) have an agenda, that is Internasional Seminar on Mangrove in the Queen Garden Hotel, Baturaden, Banyumas at October 5-6^th 2012. The theme of the seminar is Conservation Community and Empowerment. My class of course join this seminar because we are the students from Environmental Science. Beside our, many participants in there, they are the students from Biology of UNSOED, lecturer from Bogor Agriculture Institute, lecturer from UNSOED, one student from Germany, etc.

At the first day, the seminar is started with dinner and java dance performance, that is Lengger Dance, original dance from Banyumas Regency. After that is opening speech by Prof. Dr. Edy Yuwono, Ph.D., as a Head of UNSOED. The second agenda is explanation about REDD⁺ by Prof. Dr. Kuntoro Mangkusubroto as a Directur of REDD⁺ Satgas. REDD⁺ is abbreviation from Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. The country who produce many emission, example CO₂ must pay to the country who have large forest because reducing emission. Indonesia is one of the country who have large forest. Large of Indonesia forest is number 3 in the world and number 1 for mangrove.

The agenda at that night is closing by Calung art performance from students of Economy Faculty of UNSOED. Calung art also called Kentongan art, also original from Banyumas Regency. The participants are very antusiasm to enjoy this entertainment, included me and I want to watch it again in other time.

At the second day is top of seminar. Many speakers invites, they are Prof. Michael Muchlenberg from Germany, Dr. Chan Hung Tuck from Japan, Ir. Budi Rustomo, Ph.D from UNSOED, Sanjay Swarup from  Singapore, I Nyoman Suryadiputa from Wetland International Organization, Lucky Adrianto from IPB, etc. The seminar is discuss about Conservation related to REDD⁺, mangrove in Indonesia (regulation, status, and potency), balancing mangrove conservation and utilisation, community empowerment in mangrove buffer zone, environment, mangrove mapping, mangrove carbon pools and climate change, social economy, and community empowerment.