Pomalaa, Kolaka – For World Environment Day on June 5, 2021 and the 53rd Anniversary of PT ANTAM Tbk (ANTAM) on July 5, 2021, the Southeast Sulawesi Nickel Mining Business Unit held a series of activities themed Ecosystem Restoration.
Ecosystem Restoration is an effort to help restore ecosystems that have been degraded and maintain ecosystems that have not been disturbed. This is in line with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) global campaign.
This activity, which was conducted by the Mine Environmental Management Department and ANTAM Diving Club (ADC) on July 1-6, 2021, is a manifestation of the Company's concern for managing the environment around its operational area.
Activities carried out include coral reef transplantation (Save Coral 2021), Coastal and Seabed Clean Up 2021 and mangrove forest rehabilitation (planting 2,000 mangrove seedlings).
Save Coral 2021 is carried out using the Spider Web method where a 10 mm iron structure is shaped like a spider web and the surface is engineered so that the transplanted corals can grow well. In addition, the surface of the Spider Web structure which is intentionally rough also supports natural recruitment where coral larvae that float naturally in sea water can attach and grow on the structure.
The coral reef transplant was carried out in the waters of Pomalaa, Kolaka Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province on July 1 and 2, 2021. 50 Spider Web structures were deployed with a total of 900 coral seedling fragments transplanted.
On July 3, 2021, the activity continue with the Coastal and Seabed Clean Up 2021, which is the cleaning of one beach segment along 200 meters and 50 meters across to the sea to a depth of 5 meters. From this activity, 12 net bags (12 m3) of waste with a weight of 175kg were obtained which were dominated by plastic waste, and others such as glass, cloth, metal, rubber and styrofoam. This waste takes a very long time to degrade so that it can harm the marine ecosystem. The collected waste is then taken and disposed of at the waste management facility at the ANTAM Pomalaa landfills.
Furthermore, on July 6, 2021, the activity was carried out in Tapunopaka District, North Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi for planting 2,000 mangroves. Coastal rehabilitation by planting mangroves involves local residents as a form of synergy between the Company and the community in protecting the environment and improving coastal ecosystems.
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