EXPEDITION TO MOUNT ARJUNO 3,339 MDPL TREE PLANTING AS AN EFFORT TO RESTORE THE ECOSYSTEM FOLLOWING A FOREST FIRE ALONG THE SUMBER BRANTAS–CANGAR TRAIL
Keywords:
ecosystem restoration, participatory conservation, cross-sectoral synergyAbstract
The 2023 forest fire on Mount Arjuno burned over 3,315 hectares of land, threatening biodiversity, degrading soil quality, and disrupting local ecosystem balance. In response, the Expedition 80 Mount Arjuno 3339 Mdpl was initiated as a community service program to restore the ecosystem through tree planting along the Sumber Brantas–Cangar hiking trail. This collaborative effort involved the East Java Forestry Office, the Indonesian Naval Academy, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, local communities, students, and volunteers. Activities included a preliminary study, procurement of native seedlings (Casuarina, Eucalyptus, and Ficus), structured planting from post 2 to post 3, and post-planting monitoring by Tahura Raden Suryo. Approximately 300 participants planted 592 trees and conducted trail clean-up actions. Results indicate that tree planting effectively reduced erosion risk, improved post-fire soil structure, and fostered community engagement in sustainable conservation. This initiative demonstrates that cross-sectoral synergy is essential for effective and long-term environmental recovery.
References
Agus, S., Hidayat, T., & Nurjaya, I. W. (2019). Penanaman pohon untuk pemulihan ekosistem hutan pascakebakaran. Jurnal Kehutanan Indonesia, 15 (2), 123-134.
Barton, D., Benham, C., & McDonald, J. (2019). Collaborative approaches to ecosystem restoration: A global perspective. Ecological Restoration Journal, 24 (3), 200-213. https://doi.org/10.3368/er.24.3.200
Cerda, A., & Doerr, S. H. (2018). The effects of forest fires on soil hydrology and erosion. Earth-Science Reviews, 185, 1023-1044. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2018.07.007
Cunningham, R., Wunder, S., & Sills, E. O. (2021). Collaborative forest management for ecosystem restoration. Journal of Sustainable Forestry, 35 (2), 117-133. https://doi.org/10.1080/10549811.2020.1860765
Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan (KLHK). (2023). Laporan kerusakan hutan akibat kebakaran tahun 2023. Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Republik Indonesia.
Khairunnas. (2025). Konsep strategis kebijakan restorasi kawasan hutan di Taman Nasional Tesso Nilo [Disertasi Doktor, Universitas Riau].
Lambin, E. F., & Meyfroidt, P. (2018). Understanding land use and land cover change for ecosystem restoration. Land Use Policy, 69, 32-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.08.038
Lindenmayer, D. B., Hunter, M. L., & Burton, P. J. (2019). Forest biodiversity and fire: A global review. Biological Conservation, 231, 98-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.01.008
Lopez, G., Seidl, R., & Lever, M. (2020). Multi-sector collaboration for ecosystem recovery post-fire. Environmental Management, 45 (4), 432-450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-020-01297-8
Martins, M. A. S., Prats, S. A., Keizer, J. J., & Verheijen, F. G. A. (2024). Post-fire soil water repellency under stones and forest residue mulch versus bare soil. Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics, 72 (4), 413-421.
Peneliti restorasi gambut. (2025). Peatland management and restoration in Central Kalimantan and Riau: The role of local community participation. Southeast Asian Studies, 14 (3), 487-519.
Richards, R., & Siles, M. (2017). Institutional synergy in ecosystem restoration: A case study approach. Environmental Science & Policy, 68, 85-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2016.11.008
Scheper, A. C., et al. (2021). Post-fire forest restoration in the humid tropics: A synthesis of available strategies and knowledge gaps for effective restoration. Science of the Total Environment, 2021.
Setiawan, A., Wijayanti, R., & Purnomo, H. (2018). Peran penanaman pohon dalam pemulihan ekosistem pasca kebakaran. Jurnal Alam Lestari, 10 (1), 89-98.
Silalahi, M., Nurrochmat, D. R., Harrison, R. D., Mansur, I., Walsh, T. A., & Habibi. (2025). Reconciling different interests in the Hutan Harapan rainforest ecosystem restoration management in Sumatra, Indonesia. Agris/FAO.
Silviana, S. H., Saharjo, B. H., & Sutikno, S. (2020). Pengaruh kebakaran dan rewetting terhadap tinggi muka air, komposisi vegetasi dan cadangan karbon lahan gambut tropis. Repository IPB.
Soedarma, R., Kusumandari, A., & Hartono, S. (2020). Dampak kebakaran hutan pada tanah dan vegetasi di Gunung Arjuno. Jurnal Ekologi Alam, 8 (3), 101-112.
Widyastuti, S., & Setyawan, A. D. (2020). Karakteristik ekologi cemara gunung (Casuarina junghuhniana) pada lahan pasca kebakaran. Jurnal Ekologi Indonesia, 11 (2), 145-158.
Zhou, H., Yang, M., Luo, X., Yang, Z., Wang, L., Liu, S., Zhang, Q., Luo, M., Ou, J., Xiong, S., Qin, Y., & Li, Y. (2024). Short-term impacts of fire and post-fire restoration methods on soil properties and microbial characteristics in southern China. Fire, 7 (12), 474.
