Construction of new dykes and water gates in Indonesia

This initiative, funded by Global Affairs Canada, aims to strengthen Indonesia's climate mitigation and adaptation efforts, and improve the sustainability of coastal livelihoods, by supporting the restoration and protection of mangrove ecosystems in North and East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Project activities include: (1) restoring degraded mangrove ecosystems and protecting intact mangroves; (2) building policymakers' capacity to better incentivize mangroves' restoration and protection; (3) introducing more sustainable and profitable fish farming and aquaculture techniques to local communities in ways that incentivize mangrove ecosystem restoration and protection; and (4) improving the licensing regime to provide vulnerable communities with greater access to mangrove resources.

Description of structures and the site: The proposed construction is necessary to achieve mangrove restoration objectives (activity 1). Currently, a designated mangrove greenbelt exists between the shrimp ponds and the water ways within the Kayan-Sembakung and Mahakam Delta. Using nature-based approaches, the proposed construction is aimed at redesigning the shrimp ponds (typically 5 to 10 Ha in size), which were formerly mangroves, located adjacent to the water way (a river), in a way that will promote the natural regeneration of mangroves. This will result in the widening the existing green belts about 5 meters wide from the water way. The construction will take place only within shrimp pond areas (where mangrove forest was cleared to create the ponds) and will result in the increase of mangrove area while correspondingly reducing pond size. Two types of construction activities in a total of 15 shrimp ponds are proposed: 1. new dykes (using pond clay); and, 2. new water gates (concrete for support, wood planks for water gate, 1 x 1.5 metres), in order to relocate the dykes and water gates further inland and away from the river, thereby creating space for mangroves to grow naturally, in turn creating new habitats that protect harvestable fish, shrimps and crabs.