In this aerial picture taken on Feb 23, 2023, mangrove trees planted by the community in an attempt to slow erosion caused by rising sea levels are seen on Pari island in the Thousand Islands cluster. (PHOTO / AFP)

JAKARTA - Tourists in Indonesia are discovering the benefits of mangroves as the archipelago pushes to replant or conserve carbon-rich coastal areas that have been decimated by human activity.

Connie Sihombing, a 50-year-old resident of Jakarta, does not mind that she can hear traffic or planes flying above as she paddles her kayak through murky waters and the arching roots of mangrove trees.

"I've traveled far, yet I had no idea that close to home lies this fascinating and beautiful park," she said, referring to a protected mangrove forest along the northern coast of the capital.

Indonesia hopes that alongside state efforts, 'ecotourism' that involves people exploring, planting, and caring for the forests will help them understand their importance as carbon stores and biodiversity hotspots

Mangroves in Indonesia, a country of more than 17,000 islands and miles of shoreline, have dwindled to about 4.1 million hectares as urban development or seafood farming replaces what is a natural defense against rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion.

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Last year alone, the country lost 700,000 hectares of mangroves, according to Indonesia's Mangrove and Peatlands Restoration Agency (BRGM).

Indonesia hopes that alongside state efforts, 'ecotourism' that involves people exploring, planting, and caring for the forests will help them understand their importance as carbon stores and biodiversity hotspots.

In this picture taken on Feb 23, 2023, young mangrove plants grow between the trunks and roots of mangrove trees on Pari island in the Thousand Islands cluster. (PHOTO / AFP)

"A lot of people and businesses have these mangrove forests leveled down and then build a tourist spot above it by piling sand to make artificial beaches. That contradicts nature preservation," said Muhammad Saleh Alatas, owner of The Mangrove Paddling Centre, which organizes tours in the mangroves of Jakarta.

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The 98-hectare Angke Kapuk Nature Reserve Park where the tours operate is but a tiny part of what environmental experts say the world needs to reverse the damage that has been wrought on mangroves and other wetlands.

While government funding has risen in the past five years, support from private institutions and non-governmental organizations is still needed, said Nusantara Nature Conservation Agency director Muhammad Ilman.