With specific regard to mangrove rehabilitation, a great attention has been given to technical aspects since many mangrove rehabilitation programs, mostly using replanting mangrove seedling, have been unsuccessful. In order to provide an alternative mangrove rehabilitation technique, we have initiated a project of cost-effective mangrove rehabilitation process focusing on the hydrological restoration. This project is implemented on some 12 hectares of disused shrimp pond at Tiwoho Village, Bunaken National Park, Indonesia. The rehabilitation technique applied in this project follows the five important steps suggested by Lewis and Marshall (1997), with some modifications to fix the local condition. This project has been initiated by the end of October 2005 with some important achievements. Within seven previous months after the hydrological condition of the site was normalised, there has been new establishment of Avicennia marina, Rhizophora apiculata and Sonneratia alba . A fast growth of artificially planted seedlings of Ceriops tagal on some specific locations seems to have been contributed by the normalisation of the site’s hydrological condition.

It is expected that the previous two to five years of the restoration program is of importance stage to observe to evaluate the natural secondary succession process of the mangrove ecosystem. At this stage, mangrove species establishment, mortality and survival as well as growth rate of particular species have to be observed at regular period. The site has also to be protected from human and natural disturbances.

This project also supports the integration of mangrove education program into local primary schools curriculum, mangrove training, visitors of restoration site with technical assistances. It is expected that final achievement of this project will be a comprehensive understanding of hydrological restoration procedure in the field of mangrove rehabilitation program.