Coastal Environmental Degradation and Local Wisdom Responses: A Case Study of Mundam Village, Dumai City

Coastal Environmental Degradation and Local Wisdom Responses: A Coastal Study in Mundam Village, Dumai City

Abstract

Coastal environmental damage refers to the process of ecosystem degradation in coastal areas that disrupts their ecological, social, and economic functions. Coastal ecosystems—such as mangroves, coral reefs, coastal land, and shallow waters—play a vital role as natural barriers against abrasion, regulators of the hydrological cycle, and primary sources of livelihood for coastal communities. Responses based on local wisdom consist of actions, strategies, practices, and cultural values developed by communities to protect and preserve their environment. Research on coastal environmental damage and local wisdom is essential to understand both the causes of degradation and the ways in which local communities respond through inherited cultural practices. This study employs a literature review combined with a qualitative approach. The findings indicate that Mundam Village experiences coastal abrasion, mangrove degradation, declining water quality, and ecological disturbances caused primarily by pollution. Local wisdom in Mundam Village is reflected in traditional taboos related to mangrove rehabilitation, indigenous knowledge of weather patterns based on wind and seasonal cycles, and strong social capital manifested through mutual cooperation in environmental protection. In the future, the Mundam Village community is expected to maintain social solidarity, preserve local wisdom practices, and receive sustained support from local government to ensure the continuity of environmentally oriented cultural values.

Kerusakan lingkungan pesisir merupakan proses degradasi atau penurunan kualitas ekosistem di wilayah pesisir yang berdampak pada terganggunya fungsi ekologis, sosial, dan ekonomi masyarakat. Ekosistem pesisir, seperti mangrove, terumbu karang, daratan pantai, dan perairan laut dangkal, memiliki peran penting sebagai pelindung alami dari abrasi, penyangga siklus hidrologi, serta sumber utama penghidupan masyarakat pesisir. Respons kearifan lokal mencakup berbagai tindakan, strategi, kebiasaan, dan nilai budaya yang dikembangkan oleh masyarakat untuk menjaga dan melestarikan lingkungan. Kajian mengenai kerusakan lingkungan pesisir dan respons kearifan lokal penting dilakukan untuk memahami penyebab terjadinya degradasi lingkungan serta cara masyarakat meresponsnya melalui praktik budaya yang diwariskan secara turun-temurun. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka yang dipadukan dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Desa Mundam mengalami berbagai bentuk kerusakan lingkungan, antara lain abrasi di wilayah pesisir, degradasi mangrove, penurunan kualitas air, serta gangguan ekologi akibat pencemaran. Kearifan lokal di Desa Mundam tercermin dalam pantang larang pada proses rehabilitasi mangrove, pengetahuan tradisional dalam membaca pola cuaca berdasarkan arah angin dan musim, serta modal sosial berupa praktik gotong royong dalam menjaga lingkungan. Ke depan, masyarakat Desa Mundam diharapkan dapat terus menjaga solidaritas sosial, mempertahankan kearifan lokal, serta memperoleh dukungan berkelanjutan dari pemerintah daerah guna melestarikan nilai-nilai budaya yang berorientasi pada pelestarian lingkungan.