Torosiaje sits on the coast of the Tomini Bay on the island of Sulawesi. Its residents are Bajau, an indigenous people who historically lived as sea nomads. Today they live in stilted houses above the water and depend on fishing.
Since the 1980s, aquafarms had reshaped the coastline. Mangroves were cleared to make way for fish and shrimp ponds. Natural fishing habitats shrank, and catches declined. In 2001, fisherman Umar Pasandre attended a workshop organized by local authorities and nonprofits. There he learned that mangroves create habitats for fish and protect the shore from erosion.
He started planting. Many seedlings, over many years. In his outdoor nursery on the beach, he grows rows and rows of young mangroves until they are strong enough to be transplanted into the sea. The village community joined in. Today, after more than 20 years, the mangrove stands around Torosiaje are dense again. The fish returned. Coral and seagrass beds recovered.
The Bajau also use the mangroves in traditional ways: as soap, as medicine, as building material. Umar calls them the pride of his village. Mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs, all protected by the community. Income has remained stable for decades, he says.
The village stands as an example of what happens when people use their knowledge and stay patient.
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