CASE STUDY 04 BU I LD I NG W I TH NATU R E - I ND O NE SI A , D E M A K - CE NTRAL JAVA CASE STUDY 04 Building with Nature W e must ensure the transition of traditional infrastructure designs that fight against nature, towards solutions that work with the nature. both the paddy fields and mangrove forests into shrimp ponds. Frequent losses of shrimp harvests due to diseases pushed also farmers to open new ponds in the mangrove. The present inhabitants of the Demak’s district coastal communes are specialized today in aquaculture, while some inhabitants still practice traditional fishing. The main livelihood occupation of the households in the villages of the Demak project area is fish farmer or fisherman (70%). Other important income sources are: farm labor (25%), temporary and industrial labor (10%), trader (8%), and government staff (2%) (Ecoshape 2015). Yet, fisheries generate less income compared to the other sources. A Sediment accumulation behind permeable grids in Demak, Central study identified that, on average, the household income Java, Indonesia. (Source. Wetlands International) from other sources is higher (3.3 million IDR/yr) than from fisheries (Ibid.). Context Establishment of aquaculture ponds close to the waterline, Socio-economic background which usually is associated with the removal of mangroves The main sources of income in Demak, Indonesia, were has initiated a self-accelerating coastal erosion process. traditionally based on rice cultivation and productive This is then aggravated by establishing traditional hard mangrove fisheries. In the 1960s, Demak’s economy was structures for coastal protection. Habitat destruction, based mainly on dry land crops, coconut and rice (Ecoshape coastal erosion, loss of freshwater influx (due to industrial 2015). To support this practice, canals for irrigation and groundwater extraction), and inadequate water circulation drainage were built, with the coastal mangrove belt left results in marginality of aquacultures. At present many intact. Between 1970 and 1980, the rural population was ponds are either farmed extensively, unused, or used very wealthy due to the abundant harvest of rice, shrimp for other purposes. The current state of coastal erosion, and milkfish. In the 1980s, however, the green revolution flooding (due to sea level rise) and the lack of water resulted in decreased world market prices for rice. management are currently severely hampering socio- Simultaneously, fish trawling was banned in Indonesia, yet economic productivity. These populations have either demand for shrimp increased. This situation led the local lost everything or are on the edge of losing critical natural populations of Demak to push for the transformation of resources on which they depend for livelihood and income. 1 CASE STUDY 04 BU I LD I NG W I TH NATU R E - I ND O NE SI A , D E M A K - CE NTRAL JAVA Physical characteristics of Demak’s coast • Infrastructure development. There was a mismatch of spatial planning for infrastructural development Demak’s coastal zone is characterized by strong ocean- between the different administration levels, i.e. the to-land environmental gradients. On the landward side, interests for infrastructure development between the vegetation is dominated by grasses on the bunds with village, district and provincial levels differed. However, the occasional small-fast-growing tree, such as Leucaena all of them have neglected the importance of the leucocephala and Sesbania grandiflora, respectively greenbelt zone along the coastline. Instead, the local known by the locals as Petai Cina and Turi, as well as the authorities have allowed establishment of industries occasional banana trees. The coastal zone is very shallow, along the coastline, which also led to excessive with slopes of around 1:600. The seabed and sub-bottom groundwater extraction. are extremely muddy. There is a pronounced variation in tidal water levels, ranging from 40 cm (neap tidal) to 100cm (spring-tide tidal). Currents in the Demak’s coastal waters vary, with maximum velocities of around 15 cm/s. The average wave height over a 14-year period is 0.46m (Ibid.). In 2009, much larger wave heights were recorded, with a highest wave height of 2.2m and a period of over 8s, likely related to the El Niño phenomenon (Ibid.). The climate and hydro-sedimentological behavior of the Demak’s coastal zone is strongly governed by the mon- soons. Weathered sediments are carried by numerous small rivers to the coastal zone. This supply has been Severly eroded coastline in Demak, Central Java, Indonesia (Source active for centuries, and has even increased over the last Wetlands International) decades owing to changes in land-use in the hinterland (terrestrial erosion). Those sediments used to be captured Without its mangrove forest, coupled with unsustainable by the mangroves originally present in the coastal zone coastal infrastructure planning and excessive groundwater of Demak. However, with the loss of these mangroves, extraction, Demak thus suffers from: parts of those historic deposits have been lost in deeper • Land subsidence and severe erosion, which make water. A very rough estimate suggests that about half of rice culture no longer possible and fisheries have those historic deposits have currently been lost, implying become marginal bringing major economic losses that will not be possible to restore the eroding Demak’s to the two pillars of the regional economy. coast entirely (Ecoshape 2015). And as the loss of these sediments from the Demak’s coastal zone continues, • Salt water intrusion, which penetrates much further measures for restoring the fine sediment balance in the land-inwards than in former times. coastal zone cannot be postponed. • Industrial pollution influx can limit the ecosystem’s ability to serve its function as shrimps and fish breeding ground. However, mangroves are quite resistant to Main Challenges most forms of environmental pollution, and therefore should not impede mangroves growth and recovery. The coastal zones in Demak suffer from severe erosion at an average rate of 100 m/year, mainly caused by: • Catastrophic flooding, which occurs during high tides, storm surges and periods of excessive rainfall. • Mangrove conversion for aquaculture. In the 1990s, More than 3 km of land have already been swallowed farmers suffered frequent losses of shrimp harvests by the sea including entire villages (Wetlands 2016). due to diseases. The situation pushed farmers to open new ponds in the mangrove forests. The loss • The changing climate has resulted in sea level rise of mangroves, including its provision of ecosystem that is projected to cause flooding up to 6 km inland services (especially its function as crustacea and fish by 2100 (Wetlands 2016). More than 14,000 hect- nurseries), affected the livelihood of the people living ares of land will be inundated and 6000 hectares of in the coastal plains. At present, Demak is virtually aquaculture ponds will be lost, affecting over 70,000 devoid of the once extensive mangrove forests. people (Ibid.). 2 CASE STUDY 04 BU I LD I NG W I TH NATU R E - I ND O NE SI A , D E M A K - CE NTRAL JAVA Major Activities During the small-scale implementation, in 2013, the project constructed three permeable grids, encompassing a few hundred meters of permeable wooden dams, that catch fine sediment and therewith facilitate the restoration of mangroves. Despite providing benefits to socio and economic component of the Demak’s communities, this pilot was focused mainly on the potential of hybrid engi- Flooded house in a village in Demak. (Source. Boskalis) neering approach. The combination of a green (mangrove) measure and grey measure (hard structures or permeable dams depending on the setting) have proven its success Objective Of The “Large- which then initiated the implementation of a “Large-scale Scale Building With Nature” Building with Nature” in 2015. Project The “Large-scale Building with Nature” project applies the following three-pronged approaches: “Building with Nature” is a project initiated by Ecoshape, a consortium of private parties, government organizations, 1. Reclaiming the land and restoring the mangrove belt. NGOs and research institutes. A small-scale pilot was ini- The pilot applies an innovative approach in addressing tiated in Demak, in 2013. Following its success, Ecoshape coastal and water management challenges, based on the consortium and their Indonesian partners agreed, in 2015, presumption that coastal safety will be regained if the on a new five-year cooperative venture to improve coastal mangrove greenbelt is restored. In the rural area, the pilot safety around Demak to restore 20km of coastline and started with the construction of a new series of perme- increase aquaculture production. The project envisions a able structures (permeable dams), mud-nourishment and safe delta coastline in Northern Java, particularly Demak. agitation dredging along with mangrove rehabilitation. It aims to enable vulnerable communities and economic Permeable dams replicate the structure of mangrove root sectors to prosper, to be more self-reliant and resilient systems. It was undertaken to reclaim the land and restore against hazards. The initiative is expected to enhance the fine sediment balance, thereby recreating a stable coastal security for about 70,000 vulnerable people and environment for mangrove forest recovery. Its principle to avoid further coastal flooding and erosion in Central is to work with and along the sea currents, river flows and Java. Furthermore, “Building with Nature” also provides waves rather than fighting against these natural processes. these people with a long-term perspective for sustainable In this sense, the pilot also introduces Integrated Water economic development. Management Planning, river restoration, and demon- Building with Nature intends to manifest an integrated stration activities that offer an alternative to the deep coastal zone management approach that provides resil- ground water extraction which is currently causing land ience by combining smart engineering and ecological subsidence. Meanwhile, in urban areas where there is little rehabilitation, while introducing a sustainable land use space, hard engineering techniques are strengthened by practice. The project is characterized by the use of services mangrove belt, thus, diminishing the maintenance costs that nature provides as an integral part of the design of while increasing value, e.g. for recreation. hydraulic infrastructure. And thereby, offering an alternative to conventional hard-infrastructure approaches to coastal 2. Climate smart and productive land-use. The project security. Instead of fighting nature with dams and dikes, area was previously a prosperous district, however with Building with Nature solutions work with and along the the collapse of the prawn farming so too did the economy dynamics of nature. It provides benefits for nature and of the community. Therefore, the project has focused on society – such as adaptation to climate change, flood boosting the economic situation by promoting a Bio-Rights1 prevention, biodiversity conservation, food supply and approach, which was successfully implemented in other carbon sequestration. areas in Indonesia. In this case, the project is introducing 1. Bio-Rights is a financial incentive mechanism that reconciles economic productivity with environmental conservation and restoration by providing conditional support to local communities. 3 CASE STUDY 04 BU I LD I NG W I TH NATU R E - I ND O NE SI A , D E M A K - CE NTRAL JAVA sustainable aquaculture in the abandoned ponds, which • availability of space for recovery due to the dense can co-exist with a healthy mangrove forest. It is done in aquaculture activities in the pilot area. a way that allows space both for the mangroves and for Furthermore, socio-economic co-benefits have become the ponds, and with techniques that use less chemicals, one of the main focuses of the project. increase yields, and prevent soil subsidence and hydro- logical disturbance. This substantially enhances shrimp production and the near shore fisheries, the two important industries for local economic growth. Part of the extra income will finance coastal safety measures, which in turn will ensure the future sustainability of these activities. 3. Securing the long-term maintenance of the mangrove belts. To ensure the sustainability of the “Building with Nature” initiative, and to enable replication in other areas, training and embedding the approach in policy and plan- ning are crucial elements. The project supports integral solutions for improved coastal zone management by con- tributing to the development of a district level Master Plan, Permeable dams (Source. Wetlands International) together with communities, government, private sector and civil society. This plan will address the root causes of coastal vulnerability, sustainable land use and finance Large-Scale Building with Nature (2015-2020) options that together ensure the long-term maintenance The “Building with Nature” project design aimed at of a stable coastline and its ecosystem services. five results, associated with various expected impacts, comprising: Expected Results and • Design and Engineering Plan: As a first step, following the pilot in 2013, a Design and Engineering plan of the Impacts Achieved large-scale demonstration project was published in 2015. This plan provided concepts, reasoning, design Small Scale Pilot Project (2013) and practicalities for the timely implementation of The small-scale pilot project resulted in inducing a net Building with Nature measures in Demak. The plan sedimentation rate of about 0.5m within 12 months, with also addressed limitations and risks that faced during some early mangrove colonization at specific locations. the small-scale implementation. They are accounted for and to be resolved in an adaptive approach, for From the hydro-sedimentological point of view, the proj- example by restoring hydrological system and apply- ect is deemed highly successful in keeping the sediment ing Bio-Right approach which include the implemen- behind the dam, where mangrove trees can grow again. tation of innovative systems of aquaculture as well as With such a success, the large-scale project embracing improving water management system. other villages in the area, which hinterland aquaculture has been destroyed over the past five years was initiated • Implementation of a large-scale flagship project in in 2015. Lessons learned, from the small-scale project are the severely eroding setting of Demak: The project addressed in the concept of the large-scale one, such as: will re-establish coastal security and support sustain- able revitalization of 6000 ha of aquaculture ponds • the devastating effects of shipworm, destabilizing along a 20km shoreline. In 2015, 1.9km of permeable the permeable dams, structures were built, of which 0.9km by the project and 1km by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries • lack of sediment supply and increasing wave exposure (MMAF). Monitoring showed up to 50cm of sedimen- are hampering mangrove recovery and functioning, tation behind some of the structures and mangrove seedlings are emerging naturally. If the grids stay • lack of hydrological connectivity, due to construction in place, a small mangrove forest can within a few of bunds, channelization and degraded tidal creek, years take over to reduce wave intensity and keep will limit the ability for mangrove recovery, as well as the sediments in place. Recently, another 0.8km was 4 CASE STUDY 04 BU I LD I NG W I TH NATU R E - I ND O NE SI A , D E M A K - CE NTRAL JAVA constructed. To speed up the process, the project applied mud nourishment. Furthermore, the resto- ration of the mangrove belt is expected to enhance protection against natural hazards, protect arable land from erosion, revive fisheries and (non-timber) forest products, improve water filtration and enhance carbon storage. • Contribution to Demak Coastal Masterplan: Building with Nature measures in Demak will be embedded in the community development plans, in a district level master plan and in provincial development “Learning by Doing” – The community is trained to construct the permeable dams. (Source: Wetlands International) plans. The project sets the scene by providing a useful framework for better coastal management. As a result, a new draft spatial plan for Demak encour- agingly shows a greenbelt zone along the coastline, Lessons Learned although its exact location and width is not yet clear. Shifting paradigm from fighting nature to work Several aquaculture ponds located on the sea front with nature will need to be converted back into mangrove for coastal safety. Compensation of the loss of ponds Until recently, sea walls, dykes and other kinds of hard mea- will occur through the revitalizing of aquaculture in sures, have been placed in front of coasts to halt erosion. the hinterland. Such solutions may work in some areas, but it could also be ineffective in others, for example on muddy mangrove • Capacity building and knowledge transfer: In May coasts. Having understood the nature of Demak coast, 2016, twenty-five fish farmers completed their sea- installation of hard measures could disturb the balance son-long Training of Trainers (ToT) on the revitalizing of incoming and outgoing sediment, and thus likely to of the aquaculture productivity. They adopted critical cause further erosion. “Building with Nature” promotes adaptive thinking to develop, test and implement sustainable coastal engineering approaches that make best practices, such as producing farm inputs locally use of the natural protection provided by ecosystems such to reduce costs in an ecologically sound way. The as mangroves. It represents the transition of conventional trained villagers are passing on their insights in new infrastructure designs that typically fight against nature, training sessions in 5 other villages. Additionally, the towards solutions that work with and alongside nature. The initiative is developing a series of technical and prac- approach also offers an inclusive coastal zone management tical guidelines as stakeholders are eager to replicate approach that is based on in-depth understanding of the the approach. The guidelines cover issues such as: functioning of the wider coastal system. Based on the ‘permeable structures‘ to trap sediment for mangroves to recover, system understanding, community plan- systems understanding, it is believed that “restoring the ning, fish pond rehabilitation, mud nourishment and eroding tropical mud coasts requires revival of a healthy ecological mangrove rehabilitation (EMR). mangrove belt”, which are more often cost-effective, while bringing in more prosperity to the local economy such as through enhanced fisheries and carbon storage. Applying Systems Thinking and Interdisciplinary Partnership The permeable structures technique applied in this project is already used by the Dutch for salt marsh restoration for 100 years. The first question that may rise would be, could it be applicable in Indonesia, specifically Demak? Or any other place in the world? As highlighted earlier, before applying any specific adaptation option it is important for one to understand the nature of the area. Adaptation Natural mangrove regeneration behind the permeable structure. (Source: Wetlands International) to climate change is very localized, and therefore, exact 5 CASE STUDY 04 BU I LD I NG W I TH NATU R E - I ND O NE SI A , D E M A K - CE NTRAL JAVA definitive payments, providing the conservation activities prove successful. In the case of Demak this translates into coastal safety measures and sustainable aquaculture. The approach covers the costs communities face to change their current unsustainable practice into long- term sustainable livelihood strategies, motivating them to take a long-term interest in their conservation work. Legal contractual agreements were set up with commu- nity groups and witnessed by the village government, ensuring a greater group cohesion and responsibility in implementing the agreement. As such increasing the Building with Nature require high community involvement to determine its success. (Source: Wetlands International) project implementation efficiency, contributing to the project sustainability and reducing overhead costs. In the context of “Building with Nature” in Demak, the technical methodologies are highly site-specific. It must communities were eager to cooperate, however level of be tailored to fit the social and ecological situation of the success is still yet to be measured. area. In the “Building with Nature” initiative, an expert team needs to initially develop a good understanding of the specific ecological and hydrological system based Plant or not to plant on a system thinking approach. To do so, interdisciplin- Despite still being very popular, planting efforts are largely ary partnership is key. The Building with Nature team failing across the globe. As planting is often done in the consists of ecologists, engineers, physical geographers, wrong places where mangroves do not grow naturally, or aquaculture experts. Moreover, support from national and are simply unnecessary. Furthermore, mangrove restoration regional governments and cooperation of local residents requires a proper risk assessment and consultation with is indispensable. experts. There is a common belief that there is no harm done by planting mangroves, which unfortunately is not Mixture of engineering and nature based approach true. For example, single species planting creates mono- cultures that are not resilient to storms and surges. Also, In the case of Demak, brushwood structures are used to dampen the incoming waves, creating a sheltered area thin mangrove belts are not perceived as a safe solution behind them where mud is trapped, so mangroves can against any hazard. There is a need to have a better regenerate and avoid further erosion. Different materials understanding regarding the selection of appropriate and techniques are tested and used, depending on the methodologies for mangrove restoration through critical circumstances of the specific site. The tests will help systems thinking, and adjusting it to the specific location. improve the lifetime and robustness of the technique for The “Building with Nature” initiative” applied Ecological further upscaling of the concept in Demak and in other Mangrove Rehabilitation (EMR) principles to create the right erosion affected areas in Java. biophysical and socio-economic conditions for mangroves to grow back naturally. There is no planting involved. This way EMR promotes natural zonation and optimal species Bio-Rights agreement for compensation to site matching. In addition, it delivers fast growth of the Based on an agreement among relevant stakeholders upon forest and high survival rates and if implemented at scale the initiation of a Bio-rights and after the formulation of it is a very cost-effective method. a full project plan, Bio-rights implementation starts with the provision of micro-credits to local community groups. Adaptive Management The funds can be used for the development of all kinds of ecologically, socially and economically sustainable activi- Building with Nature is a no-regret approach as the ties as alternatives to harmful practices that pose a threat interventions are reversible, allowing a learning-by-doing to the environment (Wetlands International 2009). Upon strategy. The project is therefore flexible and adaptive and termination of a contractual period and in return for active is updated frequently with lessons learnt that are widely engagement, the micro-credits can be converted into shared to support sound replication of the approach. 6 CASE STUDY 04 BU I LD I NG W I TH NATU R E - I ND O NE SI A , D E M A K - CE NTRAL JAVA biodiversity, inspiring national governments to integrate the Potential for Scale Up and approach in their plans for adaptation and development. Replication The initiative is the leading international case of the “Building with Nature Innovation Program”2 . The proj- ect partners aim to replicate and scale up “Building with Nature” approach to other vulnerable muddy coastlines in the world, not necessarily related to Wetlands International project. Replication will be supported by mobilizing exist- ing knowledge institutes to provide training on a broad range of “Building with Nature” measures applicable in a wide range of settings. A help desk facility will be set up to provide on-the-job guidance on all aspects of the project life cycle. The demonstration project in Demak, and lessons learned from Building with Nature projects around the world will be introduced into international policy dialogues on climate change, disaster risk reduction and BIBLIOGRAPHY • Boskalis. Building with Nature in Indonesia. 2016. • Wetlands International. Like Music to My Ears (with https://boskalis.com/csr/cases/building-with-nature- Hydraulic Engineers). September 27, 2016. https:// in-indonesia.html (accessed March 09, 2017). www.wetlands.org/blog/as-music-in-my-ears-with- • Building with Nature Indonesia. Newsflash hydraulic-engineers/ (accessed March 2017, 08). 2016. December 14, 2016. https:// • Wetlands International, To Plant or Not to Plant? buildingwithnatureindonesia.exposure.co/building- Stopping Malpractices in Using Mangroves to Increase with-nature-indonesia (accessed March 06, 2017). Coastal Resilience. July 25, 2016. https://www. • Eco Shape. Building with Nature Indonesia; Securing wetlands.org/blog/to-plant-or-not-to-plant/ (accessed Eroding Delta Coastline. Eco Shape, 2015. March 08, 2017). • IADC. “International Association of Dredging • Wetlands International. b. New Series of Mangrove Companies.” Building with Nature: Sustainable Restorarion Wokrs on Eroded Coast in Java. October Protection of Mangrove Coast. September 2016. 24, 2016. https://www.wetlands.org/news/new-series- http://www.iadc-dredging.com/ul/cms/terraetaqua/ of-mangrove-restoration-works-eroded-coast-java/ document/4/9/7/497/497/1/terra-et-aqua-144- (accessed March 06, 2017). complete.pdf (accessed March 06, 2017). • Wetlands International.a. Building with Nature. April • NWP. “Using the Power of Nature.” 2016. https://www. 11, 2016. https://www.wetlands.org/casestudy/ nwp.nl/sites/default/files/2016magazine_indonesia_ building-with-nature-indonesia/ (accessed March 09, webversion2.pdf (accessed March 09, 2017). 2017). The Bulding with Nature Innovation Programme is a public-private partnership (PPP) that is coordinated by Ecoshape. It explores inclusive 2. engineering approaches to promote sustainable coastal development in the Netherlands and abroad. The West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program (WACA) is a convening platform that aims to assist West African countries to sustainably manage their coastal areas and enhance socio-economic resilience to the effects of climate change. The program also seeks to facilitate access to technical expertise and financial resources for participating countries. www.worldbank.org/waca 7