Indonesian Mangrove

The Mangrove is a threatened ecosystem and the main tree growing there, knowned locally as Bakau, is its main component. Bakau is well used by traditional coastal communities. It is said that the young shoots can be eaten and the juice made into wine. But honey collected from the flowers is said to be poisonous. The timber is heavy, difficult to saw and not durable unless it is dried for a long time. Nevertheless, it is used for construction, to make fish traps, house frames, pilings and poles. In Singapore in the past, Bakau poles were used extensively as scaffolding for building construction and renovations. Bakau wood is the preferred mangrove wood for firewood and to make charcoal. It produces an even heat and is easy to split for firewood. It is also chipped and used in commercial paper and rayon production in Indonesia and East Malaysia. Tannins are extracted from the bark; a black to chestnut dye is obtained from the leaves. Bakau is fast growing and thus often used to replant mangroves either for conservation or as part of a managed forest to produce timber for construction or charcoal. Bakau is also used extensively in traditional medicines. Various parts of the tree are used to treat digestive problems, bleeding and other ailments. But I discovered another use when I asked this young dude on an Indonesian beach what he was doing with the leaves he was collecting today. He simply told me it was to feed the goats who love chewing on them.