Strategy for Handling Mangrove Ecosystem Damage in Supporting Green Economic Development in Tobelo Sub-District

Abstract

Mangrove ecosystems but is now undergoing gradual degradation. This decline is primarily attributed to population growth and human activities surrounding the mangrove areas, including settlement expansion, ship anchoring, and the rising exploitation of coastal resources. This study aims to develop management strategies for addressing mangrove ecosystem degradation to promote green economic growth in Tobelo District. The research employs a descriptive qualitative method, analyzing both primary and secondary data, while quantitative analysis is utilized to assess the extent of mangrove damage. Furthermore, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is applied to identify and prioritize strategic policy alternatives for mangrove management. The findings reveal several key alternatives based on hierarchical analysis: economic (22.7%), social (20.5%), rehabilitation and restoration (14.8%), education and outreach (13.1%), ecology (9.0%), and government and local policy (2.26%). The priority vector analysis indicates that the economic dimension carries the highest significance, with a weight of 0.2267 (22.67%), underscoring the necessity of integrating community economic sustainability into mangrove management. The social aspect follows at 0.2053 (20.53%), highlighting the role of local participation, traditional knowledge, and collective action in maintaining ecosystem stability. Rehabilitation and restoration rank third (0.1481 or 14.81%), succeeded by education and outreach (0.1308 or 13.08%). These results suggest that mangrove management strategies should prioritize economic-based community engagement, particularly through sustainable mangrove utilization, ecotourism, and resource-based enterprises that align conservation with livelihood enhancement.