As a regency whose part of the teritory is a coastal area, Gresik and its people are mostly influenced by coastal activities. The characters of its waves is distinctive to those in the southern area, which are already being tourist destinations, but this condition does not end the tourism potential on the coast of Gresik. Such as Sukorejo village, Kebomas district, which lies on the Lamong riverbanks, the border between Gresik and Surabaya. Based on Gresik Regency Area Management Plan, the coast of Kebomas district area has been designated as an industrial area and port. However, several locations still leave their mangrove forests, particularly along the borders of Lamong river and Galang island. The location of Lamong river and Galang island, which is close to Gresik city and West Surabaya, makes this space very strategic as an alternative of natural tourist destination, education and environmental conservation.
By looking at this potential, the surrounding communities, most of whose professions are fishermen, have now been active in creating an environmentally-based educational tourism area. By cleaning the locations that were benefited only as boat docks and cleaning the fishing yields, now the village can be enjoyed by visitors, both the surrounding people as well as those from outside the village. The people also built simple docks and gazebo huts that can be used as places to relax with family while enjoying the beauty of the surrounding environment.
Not only Sukorejo, still in Gresik Regency, that is in Bungah area, precisely Tanjung Widoro village on Mengare island, known as a coastal area with natural potential that can be an alternative tourist destination. Despite its location that is not quite close to the City of Gresik, but its natural beauty is beyond comparable to others. Even the surrounding residents who are members of the Supervisory Community Group (Pokmaswas) of Tanjung Widoro Village worked together to clean up the nearly location and built the camping grounds for school children's activities and other institutional activities. This location not only provides the nature as an ecotourism, instead of various types of mangrove plants provided, there are also mangrove sightseeing bridges which at some points were built gazebo huts and meeting halls as places to rest.
Both of these locations support the mangrove forests as tourist destinations, this is closely related to the efforts in reducing the abrasion rates in the coastal area of Gresik. Mangroves have an important role to resist abrasion, to maintain the quality and productivity of the waters, which certainly bring benefits to the fishermen and pond farmers. Mangrove forests can be functioned as green belts so that coastal community activities can be protected from waves and sea winds.
Petrokimia Gresik (PG) is aware of the benefits of mangroves in coastal areas, especially in Gresik. As a company that has been growing and developing with the community in Gresik, the company understands the characteristics of coastal areas that require more attention related to the potential of sea water abrasion. Petrokimia Gresik initiated the program by, together with the community, creating a sustainable environment. In addition to providing knowledge in order to increase the community skill, the company also actively invited the community, especially the Pokwasmas members, and the Rukun Nelayan around the area to develop the natural potential in their respective regions.
PG Production Director, I Ketut Rusnaya, accompanied by the Corporate Secretary, Yusuf Wibisono, on January 9th, 2019, went to Sukorejo Village and Mengare, to interact directly with the community to monitor the development of edu-ecotourism in those two locations. The community development program, one of which is "Journey Mengare", was projected to be an environmental tourism destination village that is also able to educate visitors with various developing facilities, such as Restoration Center and Mangrove Learning. Supporting facilities that were able to function properly, including Hybrid Engineering, Camping Ground, and Mangrove Sight Bridge.
The company realised that natural conservation efforts, if carried out by the company alone, will not be able to last long, it requires active participation from the people themselves, so that the program can run continuously, and achieve the desired goals. Through the creation of edu-ecotourism, it is hoped that the community can explore and develop the potential of their respective regions as an aspect in the efforts of improving their living standards, therefore able to create an independent and prosperous society. This program is not only beneficial for the surrounding community, but it is also expected to be a trigger for visitors' awareness to love the environment.
PG as a producer of fertilizers and chemicals for Agro-Industry Solutions will always strive to provide the best effort for mutual progress, for a better Indonesia. Ria Hermila
