ULM Rector Attends Meeting to Discuss Mangrove PBPH Work Area Map

Bekasi – The Ministry of Forestry, through the Directorate General of Sustainable Forest Management, Directorate of Forest Utilization Business Development, held a meeting to discuss and prepare the Working Area Map (WA) for Forest Utilization Business Permits (PBPH) with the Berkah Wasaka Mandiri Cooperative, a cooperative established by Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM), on Friday (January 9, 2026), at the Avenzel Hotel & Convention, Bekasi City, West Java.

The event was attended by Prof. Dr. Ahmad Alim Bachri, SE., M.Si., Rector of ULM, accompanied by Prof. Dr. Ir. Syarifuddin Nuryadin, SE, M.Si., and Dr. Eng. Maya Amalia, ST, M.Eng., Head of the ULM Wetland Environment Unit. Also in attendance were the Chairperson of the Berkah Wasaka Mandiri Cooperative, Noer Komari, S.Si., M.Kes., and Prof. Ichsan Ridwan, S.Si., M.Kom.

The meeting discussed the preparation and verification of the PBPH Work Area Map, specifically for mangrove management in Kotabaru Regency, South Kalimantan. The discussion was part of the follow-up to the PBPH’s licensing commitment to support sustainable forest management based on multi-stakeholder collaboration.

In his remarks, the Rector of ULM stated that ULM’s purpose in proposing the mangrove area management plan is to develop a sustainable ecosystem, particularly mangroves, supported by the educational sector. Through the involvement of universities, it is hoped that an ideal mangrove management model will emerge that aligns with shared expectations.

Furthermore, the Rector explained that the mangrove area in Kotabaru Regency is planned to be developed as the Indonesian Tropical Mangrove Laboratory, which will serve as a center for mangrove research and development. This effort aligns with the vision of Lambung Mangkurat University, namely ULM Unggul (Excellent) in Wetland Environments.

The ULM Rector also emphasized that ULM’s presence in the mangrove area is a form of empowering education, where education plays an active role in improving the welfare of communities surrounding the mangrove area. Through sustainable, empowerment-based management, it is hoped that the income of communities surrounding the mangrove area will significantly increase, with the target being to reach at least 100 percent.

The meeting was chaired by the Director of Forest Utilization Business Development and attended by relevant stakeholders. The meeting proceeded smoothly and yielded various technical inputs as a basis for refining the PBPH Mangrove Management Work Area Map in South Kalimantan.