Nabire, Central Papua. The spirit of young Papuans in protecting the environment was once again seen along the coastal area of Sawado Kuma Village, East Nabire District. Jerry Oliver Simunapendi, the coordinator of the greening initiative, led a tree-planting activity together with the congregation of GKI Paulus Sawado Kuma, East Nabire GKI Classis, as an effort to prevent coastal abrasion and promote the importance of environmental preservation on Friday, July 3, 2026.

Under Jerry’s coordination, the activity received support from the Central Papua Provincial Office of Environment, Forestry, and Land Affairs (DLHKP), which provided 280 tree seedlings to be planted along the coastal area.

The seedlings planted consisted of 60 rain tree seedlings, 50 areca palm seedlings, 60 red shoots seedlings, 60 ironwood seedlings, and 50 Barringtonia asiatica seedlings, also known as keben trees, which are considered to have ecological functions in strengthening coastal areas and maintaining environmental balance.

The greening action involved various community elements, including the congregation of GKI Paulus East Nabire, employees of the Central Papua Provincial Mining Office, EcoNusa, Friends Belanda, and several supporting partners, namely the Central Papua Provincial DLHKP, East Nabire GKI Classis through its Love and Justice Affairs division, SIYLEP Alumni from Papua and Central Papua, and SAPA Foundation.

Before the planting began, the Chairman of the East Nabire GKI Classis, Rev. Titus Ruamba, S.Si.Theol., officially opened the activity with a joint prayer and symbolically received the tree seedlings handed over by Jerry and the young volunteers.

For Jerry, the activity was not merely ceremonial. It was a concrete step by young people to reduce the impact of abrasion and deforestation, which increasingly threaten coastal areas.

"Today, together with the congregation of GKI Paulus East Nabire, we successfully carried out the planting of 280 tree seedlings with full support from the Central Papua Provincial DLHKP. We also provided education to the community about the dangers of deforestation and the importance of reforestation as a solution to preserve the environment," Jerry said.

According to him, the greening movement must start from the closest surroundings so that it can become a shared habit, especially among the younger generation.

"We realize that the number of trees planted today is not enough to fully restore forest areas. However, small steps that begin from home yards, coastal areas, and school environments will become a good starting point for building a sustainable greening movement," he said.

Jerry emphasized his commitment to continue mobilizing young Papuans to be actively involved in environmental preservation. He said he remains committed to continuing collaboration with various parties, including the government, churches, communities, and the public in every action.

"I want to prove that young Papuans are capable of becoming agents of change. We express our gratitude to the Central Papua Provincial DLHKP for its support through the provision of tree seedlings, as well as to all partners who have walked together with us. Going forward, we hope more young people will be involved so that the movement to protect the environment becomes a shared responsibility," he added.

Meanwhile, Rev. Karolina Ayomi, S.Si.Theol., from the Love and Justice Affairs division of the East Nabire GKI Classis, expressed appreciation to Jerry and all young volunteers who took part in the greening action in Sawado Kuma Village.

"We would like to thank Jerry and all the young people who joined this tree-planting action. This activity is very beneficial, especially for coastal areas that have experienced abrasion, tree cutting, and environmental damage. We hope activities like this will continue as a form of togetherness in caring for God’s creation," she said.

She stated that the involvement of the younger generation through collaboration among churches, communities, the government, and the public is key to preserving the environment in Central Papua.

"A healthy environment is a legacy for future generations. Therefore, we hope the spirit of togetherness built today can continue to be maintained, so that the environmental preservation movement does not stop at just one activity," she said.

Jerry also revealed that this greening action is part of an environmental movement that will continue throughout the year. In the near future, he will again collaborate with the East Nabire GKI Classis in a tree-planting action to commemorate Disability Day, which coincides with the first anniversary of the activity on the 29th of this month.

Through this activity, Jerry hopes the Central Papua Provincial Government will continue to strengthen its support for forest and coastal rehabilitation programs through the provision of seedlings, assistance, and policies that support environmental preservation.

In addition, he invited the community, especially young people, to actively care for the trees that have been planted and to stop illegal logging and activities that could damage coastal areas.

"Deforestation is not only a problem for the government or certain groups. It is a threat to the entire community. Its impacts are felt together, ranging from coastal abrasion, loss of water sources, increased disaster risks, to climate change. Therefore, efforts to protect forests and coastal areas must be carried out collaboratively so that the environment remains sustainable for future generations," Jerry concluded.