Last week, Building with Nature Indonesia was featured as Case Study 7 in the new FAO State of the World’s Forests 2026 report
Building with Nature in Indonesia: Restoring an eroded coastline
Restoring coastal resilience through Nature-based Solutions and community led mangrove recovery
The case study highlights the work in Demak, Central Java, where more than 3 kilometres of coastline had been lost to erosion, affecting communities, livelihoods and mangrove ecosystems.
Rather than simply building against nature, the Building with Nature approach works with natural processes: permeable structures reduce wave energy and trap sediment, creating the conditions for mangroves to regenerate naturally.
At the same time, communities are supported in restoring mangroves, developing more sustainable aquaculture practices and addressing some of the root causes of mangrove loss.
The results show what is possible when nature, engineering, science and local knowledge come together. Today, the restored mangroves help buffer around 10,000 people from erosion, storm surges and saline intrusion, while supporting biodiversity, carbon storage and local livelihoods!
This recognition by FAO is a wonderful acknowledgment of the many partners and communities who have contributed to Building with Nature Indonesia and of the lessons the project continues to provide for scaling up and mainstreaming Nature-based Solutions around the world.
Read the FAO State of the World’s Forests 2026 report:
Learn more about Building with Nature Indonesia:
Building with Nature Indonesia is a programme by EcoShape, Wetlands International, Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries – Republic of Indonesia, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing, in partnership with Witteveen+Bos, Deltares, Wageningen University & Research, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, Delft University of Technology, Blue Forests (Yayasan Hutan Biru), and von Lieberman GmbH, with support from the Diponegoro University, and local communities. The FAO case study was developed by Susanna Tol (Wetlands International), Kenichi Shono (FAO), the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries – Republic of Indonesia, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing