EAST BELITUNG - To preserve Penanas Island, Bukulimau Village, Manggar District, East Belitung Regency, PT Timah Tbk together with the East Belitung Regency Environment Agency planted 150 sea pine and bamboo sticks.
The second phase of the restoration and monitoring of Penanas Island was attended by the head of the Beltim environmental service, Novis Ezuar and his team, BumDes Burung Mandi and Pokdarwis, Bukulimau Village, Thursday (15/09/2022).
In addition to planting and embroidering, PT Timah Tbk also took action to clean up Penanas Island.
Head of the East Belitung Environment Agency, Novis Ezuar said, based on the results of the monitoring of the first stage of planting yesterday, many trees have not yet grown. So the second stage is replanting, but with a different technique.
"We will try this again in the second stage, hopefully with a new technique so that more trees will live and survive," said Novis Ezuar.
According to Novis, tree planting is important as an effort to maintain the existence of small islands in the East Belitung Sea. The reason is, it is feared that the small islands could be lost, because there are no trees or plants on the island.
"We are trying to plant trees and hope the island can be preserved and still exist," he explained.
He said that Penanas Island is very important for the turtle ecosystem, because Penanas Island is a place for turtles to lay their eggs. Keeping the island of Penanas means also keeping the turtles to continue to exist and breed.
"We appreciate PT Timah Tbk for collaborating with us to save the islands on the coast even though the islands are not under the mining permit of PT Timah Tbk," he said.
Novis said that although the island is not under the mining permit of PT Timah Tbk, PT Timah Tbk is still committed to collaborating with DLH Beltim in defending Penanas Island.
"This means that PT Timah Tbk has a concern for the environment around the mining area," he said.
Meanwhile, the Secretary of Bukulimau Village, M.Agung, appreciated and thanked PT Timah Tbk, for this step to protect the island from being eroded by waves.
"We hope that it can be scheduled regularly, so that the mainland of Penanas Island can be maintained," he said.
