FEM English News – The Regent of Tanjung Jabung Timur, Jambi, Romi Haryanto was awarded the Wetland City Accreditation (WCA) or Wetland Accreditation in organizing the Ramsar’s Awards conference which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, November 5 – 13 2022.

He became the first regent in Indonesia who received this prestigious award. Romi Haryanto is considered successful in integrating the management of conservation and sustainability of wetlands with sustainable development. He did this in order to pursue the welfare of the people he led.

Referring to the letter from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) of the Republic of Indonesia, the awarding of WCA accreditation is the first time for Indonesia. Romi Haryanto received the award along with 24 other regional heads from various countries around the world, including the city of Surabaya, East Java.

In his remarks before the conference participants who have entered the 14th year of its implementation, Romi Haryanto hoped that the award he received would become a strategic momentum to continue to improve services to the community, both the people of Jambi and the world community.

“The various development policy packages that we have carried out are not only to get awards but are more than that. The development policy that we are implementing is based on the awareness that the earth is entrusted by our children and grandchildren that we must protect, for that we need to manage it properly and wisely,” said Regent Romi Haryanto.

The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. The Ramsar Convention was drafted and approved by the participating countries at the session in Ramsar, Iran on 2 February 1971 and entered into force on 21 December 1975.

The official name of this convention is The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat. Members of this agreement come from countries around the world that own wetlands in their countries.

Wetlands are spread over more than 1,800 locations in the world with a land area of ​​approximately 1.8 million km2. The Ramsar Convention was ratified by the Indonesian government in 1991 through Presidential Decree No. 48 of 1991.

The East Tanjung Jabung Regency Government itself is committed to preserving the wetlands which are the ecosystems of a number of animals in the area. This is done through the integration of management of conservation and sustainability of wetlands with ongoing regional development. In addition, issuing regulations from regent regulations to regional regulations. In the Spatial Planning document (RTRW), East Tanjung Jabung contains guarantees for the sustainability of Cemara Beach covering an area of ​​450 hectares.

This area is a stopover area for migratory birds from Siberia to Australia from September to December. Then the east coast mangrove forest reservation is 4,126.6 hectares and the Sungai Buluh Peat Protection Forest is 23,748 hectares. In addition, this WCA is also the fruit of the role of the East Tanjung Jabung Regency Government in supporting the existence of the Berbak National Park (TNB), which has been included in the Ramsar site from the start. [kristaprilia]