Dumai Mangrove Forests' Economic Potential Reaches Rp104 Billion

Mangrove ecotourism in Bandar Bakau Dumai, located on Jalan Nelayan Laut Ujung, Dumai Barat, Riau, not only protects the land from erosion but also holds significant economic value for the local community.

Research by Wahyu N. Wanda, Aras Mulyadi, and Efriyeldi in 2019 showed that the economic potential of mangrove forests in Dumai reaches Rp104.60 billion.

This figure is derived from use and non-use values. The total use value amounts to Rp103.71 billion, calculated from direct use values such as the utilization of mangrove wood, belanak fish, shrimp, and mangrove crabs, estimated at Rp97.25 billion.

Indirect use value amounts to Rp4.61 billion, and the recreational option value, measured by the extent of mangrove use as a recreational area, is Rp1.83 billion.

Meanwhile, the total non-use value is projected at Rp893.44 million. This consists of existence value and bequest value, calculated based on willingness to pay (WTP), amounting to Rp670.08 million and Rp223.36 million, respectively.

In comparison, the direct use value is greater than the non-use value. According to the report, this is because the community still believes that mangrove forests need to be exploited as much as possible to improve the welfare of the residents.

The low non-use value is due to a lack of public awareness of the importance of the economic value of natural resources and the environment.

“This is also suspected to be due to a shift in conservation values at the community level and a decrease in ecosystem services provided by mangrove forests to the coastal communities,” wrote the research team in their 2019 journal, *Economic Valuation of Mangrove Forest Ecosystems in Dumai City, Riau Province*.

This research also reveals that the mangrove forest is an important and strategic ecosystem for the lives of people in the coastal areas of Dumai City.

The research was conducted using a survey method with a quantitative approach. The economic valuation of Dumai's mangrove ecosystem was calculated using the total economic value (TEV), which consists of direct use analysis based on market prices.