EVALUATING HABITAT SUITABILITY AND ECOTOURISM POTENTIAL OF MANGROVE ECOSYSTEMS PROGO RIVER YOGYAKARTA

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
- The article introduces an evaluation of mangrove habitat suitability for ecotourism in the Progo River area, which has not been extensively studied in this region.
- It employs nested and gridline sampling methods to measure habitat quality more comprehensively, leading to more accurate data on mangrove conditions.
- The study examines the impact of physical and chemical factors such as temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen on mangrove growth and biodiversity.
- It uses the Tourism Suitability Index to identify locations suitable for nature tourism activities around the Progo River.
- The article stresses the need for improved management of mangrove ecotourism areas to preserve ecosystem sustainability and support the local economy.

ABSTRACT
Mangrove forests are a transitional ecosystem located between land and sea. Habitat factors greatly influence the growth of mangrove plants. Habitat suitability is reflected in the suitability of the species that can grow in the habitat. Increased growth will ultimately increase water productivity, which can be seen from the presence of various types of biota and environmental improvements. The local community planted mangrove species (Sonneratia sp.) along the Progo River in an area of 75 h. This study aimed to: 1) assess the quality/characteristics of the Progo River waters that will be used for a water tourism center and 2) assess the suitability (IKW) of the Progo River waters for water tourism in Bleberan Hamlet. Data collection was carried out using nested sampling. Data analysis included the diversity of biota types using the Shannon Diversity Index and vegetation analysis. The results showed that the highest temperature occurred at station 3 plot 10, the highest mud thickness was observed at station 5 plot 9, the highest salinity was detected at station 3 plot 10, the highest water clarity was observed at station 2 plot 7, the highest pH was seen at station 1 plot 6 and 7, while the highest DO was spotted at station 3 plot 8. Some of the biota obtained included crustaceans, gastropods and actinopterygii. The habitat types of vegetation obtained were trees, shrubs, and some herbs. Based on the Tourism Suitability Index (IKW) value, there were 3 stations suitable for camping/outbound, 2 stations suitable for relaxing, and 2 stations suitable for river tracks.

INTRODUCTION

Mangrove forests are important ecosystems that contribute to coastal stability which protect the coastal areas from various marine-related hazards that harm life(Gensemer et al., 2018). Many marine species rely heavily on mangrove environments, with healthy mangroves having fish populations and biodiversity that are 116 - 129% higher than degraded mangroves ((Nugraha et al., 2015)).

Mangrove ecosystem degradation causes significant issues, such as: 1) rapid degradation of mangroves, which accelerates the loss of mangrove islands and coastal areas(R & C, 2015); 2) a decrease in the diversity of flora and fauna that are specific to mangrove forests(Poedjirahajoe et al., 2017); 3) increased seawater intrusion, as the mangrove ecosystem, which serves as a buffer zone, becomes less effective due to destruction, which can lead to environmental problems, such as flooding, erosion, and salt intrusion(Hadi, 2012)(Erazo & Bowman, 2021); 4) coastal abrasion, particularly affecting communities along beaches facing straits and the sea(Sahu et al., 2015); and 5) increased flooding risks. Maintaining mangrove ecosystems can significantly reduce water flow velocity by 29 - 92% and modestly decrease wave height by 4 - 16.5 cm during cyclones, offering protection from flooding in coastal areas(Dasgupta et al., 2019).

The greatest threat to mangrove areas is the conversion of mangrove land into shrimp or fish ponds. Converting mangrove land to shrimp or fish farms impacts marine biota by increasing nutrient and carbon conversion, reducing microbial communities and metabolic diversity, and promoting nitrifying, denitrifying and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria ((Erazo & Bowman, 2021)). This conversion also resulted in the loss of 70% of the carbon stored in the mangroves and increased pressure from the exploitation of timber, fish, crustaceans and shellfish for trade(Elwin et al., 2019)(Alongi, 2002).

Additionally, there are growing conflicts arising from competing interests between different agencies and administrative regions. Ideally, the utilization of mangrove areas should take into account community needs without damaging the mangroves themselves. Furthermore, it is essential to develop activities that benefit the community, while preserving the ecological functions of the mangroves (both physico-chemical and biological). Therefore, ecotourism is an ideal solution to be implemented for the preservation of mangrove ecosystems, the development of community economies, and conservation efforts ((Azis et al., 2018)).

Banaran and Bleberan Villages are both located in Galur District, Kulon Progo Regency. The locations of these villages are potential for mangrove ecosystems because it is directly adjacent to the sea and river, but this has not been further developed(Diella et al., 2022). In addition, these two villages have a beach called Trisik Beach which is an annual stopover for rare slithers, namely green turtle (Chelonia mydas) when laying eggs. However, currently the existence and survival of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) face serious threats from the main predator, humans(Maulidah et al., 2023). Therefore, research on habitat suitability evaluation and ecotourism is important so that the preservation of mangrove forest ecosystems and the improvement of the community's economy can be realized.

The first step to realize mangrove forest ecotourism requires a systematic assessment of the land area by conducting inventory activities to assess the suitability for ecotourism(Noor et al., 1999). This study aimed to identify: 1) the characteristics of aquatic ecosystem habitats including: types of aquatic biota, types and density of existing vegetation, and other environmental factors, such as salinity, temperature, pH and muddiness and 2) the suitability of habitat characteristics for ecotourism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This research was conducted in the mangrove area in Bleberan Hamlet, Banaran Village, Galur District, Kulonprogo Regency. Geographically, the Banaran Village is located between 110°11’ - 110°14’ E and 7°57’ - 7°59’ S. The observation and sampling sites were determined, as presented in Figures 1-7.

Figure 1.Study area in the Banaran Village of Progo River

Table 1.Tourism suitability index class

Image Figure 2 Bridge view (Observation Spot 1)	Image Figure 3 River view (Observation Spot 2)
Image Figure 4 Estuarine view (Observation Spot 3)	Image Figure 5 Near village (Observation Spot 4)
Image Figure 6 Fishing pool (Observation Spot 5)	Image Figure 7 River island (Observation Spot 6)

This study applied the combination methods, i.e., the path and gridline methods(Hrycik et al., 2017). The path was laid as a perpendicular along the coastline to find out the vegetation condition changes. The path method was implemented based on Poedjirahajoe et al. (2017)(Poedjirahajoe et al., 2017)as follows.

Figure 8.Path method design in coastal ecosystems (Poedjirahajoe et al. 2017)

Observation spot (PU) were applied in each zone using nested plot sampling (Figure 14) with a total of 12 nested plots at each observation spot. The vegetation measured is the vegetation located in the observation spot. The criteria for mangrove growth levels are based on the Decree of the Directorate General of Forestry No. 60/KPTS/DI/1978 concerning Guidelines for the Brackish Water Forest Silviculture System, namely:

1. Seedlings, plants less than 1.5 m high (plot size 2 x 2 m).
2. Saplings, plants more than 1.5 m high and less than 10 cm in diameter (plot size 5 x 5 m).
3. Trees, plants more than 10 cm in diameter (plot size 10 x 10 m).

Figure 9.Nested sampling pattern

Measurement of the physical and chemical quality of the habitat was also carried out at each observation spot, including measurements of

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