Telkom backs mangrove and coral conservation in Rangko, Manggarai Barat

Labuan Bajo — PT Telkom Indonesia and local partners recently carried out a combined mangrove planting and coral-transplant programme in Dusun Rangko, Tanjung Boleng, Boleng district, Manggarai Barat, as part of a wider coastal conservation and community development initiative in the Labuan Bajo area.

The activities took place on Thursday, 17 April 2025, and were organised by PT Telkom Regional 3 in collaboration with Baitulmaal Muamalat (BMM), with support from Manggarai Barat local government and community groups. The programme focused on mangrove planting at Nanga Lumut in Dusun Rangko and coral conservation work off Pantai Waecicu, a site identified as an alternative tourism location outside Komodo National Park.

Reports from participating organisations describe the intervention as part of Telkom’s environmental sustainability and coastal-ecosystem programmes, aligned with its broader reforestation and conservation commitments across Indonesia. In Labuan Bajo, the initiative also included support for local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), linking ecosystem restoration with livelihoods.

Environmental and community objectives

According to Baitulmaal Muamalat and media coverage, mangrove planting at Nanga Lumut was chosen because the area hosts the landing point for a Telkom submarine cable system, and is considered ecologically important for coastal protection. The programme aims to strengthen coastal resilience, reduce degradation from human activities and environmental change, and promote sustainable tourism in Dusun Rangko and surrounding waters.

The coral-transplant work at Pantai Waecicu was framed as a measure to rehabilitate reef areas and develop a snorkelling and diving destination outside the main islands of Komodo National Park, potentially diversifying visitor flows while supporting conservation. Participants received education on mangrove planting and coral-transplant techniques from conservation teams involved in the programme.

In addition to ecosystem restoration, Telkom provided business-support facilities to local community groups, including assistance for MSMEs through the Komunitas Rumah Pekerti. This component was presented as an effort to strengthen coastal community livelihoods alongside environmental action.

Scale and participation

Coverage of the event identifies multiple local stakeholders, including the Kelompok Sadar Wisata (Pokdarwis) Gua Rangko, Komunitas Rumah Pekerti, and other community representatives, as participants in the activities. Manggarai Barat officials were reported as attending and supporting the programme.

While national and regional reporting on Telkom’s sustainability commitments references a broader target of 10,000 mangrove seedlings to be planted across coastal locations in Nusa Tenggara Timur and other provinces between 2024 and 2026, it does not specify a confirmed figure for the number of seedlings planted at Nanga Lumut on 17 April 2025. For Labuan Bajo, available sources emphasise the combination of mangrove planting, coral restoration and MSME support rather than a single numerical planting headline.

Elsewhere in Manggarai Barat, Telkom has reported planting 10,000 mangrove seedlings at Golo Sepang, also in Boleng subdistrict, as part of its multi-location coastal restoration programme between 2024 and 2026. That Golo Sepang activity is distinct from the Nanga Lumut event in Rangko and occurred under a separate schedule.

Regional conservation context

Mangrove and coral restoration have become recurring themes in coastal conservation around Labuan Bajo, with government agencies, companies and civil-society organisations undertaking planting and reef-rehabilitation initiatives in sites such as Loh Gadok in Dusun Rangko and other parts of Manggarai Barat. Telkom’s programmes in Nusa Tenggara Barat and other provinces similarly combine mangrove planting, coral rehabilitation and community empowerment under initiatives such as the BISA Biru programme.

These activities are promoted by organisers as contributing to coastal protection, biodiversity conservation and climate-change mitigation, while supporting tourism and local economies in and around Komodo National Park.

Sources

• Forum Zakat / Baitulmaal Muamalat article
• Media Jatim report on Telkom and BMM conservation and economic empowerment programme in Labuan Bajo
• Koran Jakarta article on TelkomGroup planting 20,000 mangrove seedlings
• WWF Indonesia blog on mangrove planting in Loh Gadok, Dusun Rangko
• Telkom Indonesia English-language news on coastal restoration in NTB
• Bloomberg Technoz article on Telkom’s ecosystem and climate commitments