Mangrove Ecosystems; Benefits as Coastal Protectors and Sources of Traditional Medicines

Indonesia, as a tropical region, is known to have a high diversity of mangroves, the largest among all ASEAN countries. This high biodiversity is closely linked to the geophysical conditions and geographical location of Indonesia is waters. Indonesia is an archipelagic country, with approximately 17,508 islands and a coastline length of about 95,181 km. The extensive coastline allows for the flourishing of ecosystems in coastal areas, including mangrove ecosystems. In addition to being a habitat for fish, mangrove ecosystems are also known to have several other potentials, such as preventing erosion, supporting ecotourism, serving as a natural disaster barrier, acting as the lungs of the world, and providing medicinal resources. However, despite these potentials, human activities, whether intentional or unintentional, have damaged these resources. Regarding the issue of mangrove destruction, whether due to illegal mangrove logging or pollution, it is necessary to implement control strategies.