Gubernur Jawa Timur Khofifah Indar Parawansa bersama Kaka Slank dalam Festival Mangrove Jawa Timur ke-11 di Bee Jay Bakau Resort, Kota Probolinggo, Selasa (3/11/2026). (Foto: beritajatim.com)
PROBOLINGGO — East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa has again championed the “oxygen charity” (sedekah oksigen) movement through the 11th East Java Mangrove Festival 2026 at Bee Jay Bakau Resort, Probolinggo City, on Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Themed “Sustainable Mangroves, Prosperous Communities”, the festival featured the planting of 8,100 mangrove seedlings.
Khofifah planted alongside Probolinggo Mayor Aminuddin, Probolinggo Regent Muhammad Haris, musician Kaka Slank, and students, forest farmer groups, communities and development partners. Ecosystem restoration also included releasing six little black cormorants and 300 crabs.
“As long as what we plant grows and can absorb carbon dioxide, it produces oxygen, and at that moment we are giving oxygen as charity.”
Khofifah Indar Parawansa, Governor of East Java
East Java Mangroves Grow by 3,846 Hectares
Mangrove conservation in East Java is on a positive trend. According to the 2025 National Mangrove Map, East Java’s existing mangroves cover 31,067 hectares, up 3,846 hectares from 27,223 hectares in 2021. “This increase is the result of various conservation efforts that must continue to be maintained,” Khofifah said.
Still, she cautioned that success should not be measured only by area or the number of seedlings, but also by ecosystem quality. Rehabilitation, she said, must be well planned, taking into account site suitability, species selection and post-planting maintenance and monitoring.
A Green and Blue Economy for Coastal Communities
Mangrove conservation goes hand in hand with the green and blue economy, opening opportunities in sustainable fisheries, ecotourism and creative businesses for coastal communities. Khofifah pointed to Bee Jay Bakau Resort, inaugurated that day, which combines tourism, education and environmental care.
The festival, held continuously since 2022, was recognized by the Indonesian World Records Museum (MURI) for the “Most Mangrove Festivals Held in a Series within 5 Years”. Kaka Slank received the Jer Basuki Mawa Beya award for his contribution to environmental conservation.
Deputy head of the National Peat and Mangrove Management Agency (BPGMN) Maj. Gen. Sriyanto Muntasram called East Java a benchmark for mangrove management, adding that Bee Jay Bakau is planned to be proposed as a venue for a national mangrove festival. “Mangroves have an extraordinary impact on life,” he said.
The festival also showcased the Si Rupa Bumi innovation by forestry extension worker Zainur, free medical checkups, mangrove education for students and a fashion show of batik dyed with natural mangrove pigments. “Let us make sure the mangroves we plant today grow into a living legacy for future generations,” Khofifah said.
Summarized from Beritajatim (in Indonesian).
