DENPASAR, DEWATA.NEWS – A member of Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR RI) representing Bali has raised concerns after discovering hundreds of dead mangrove trees in the Benoa area, west of the Bali Mandara Toll Road entrance in South Denpasar.
I Nyoman Parta of Commission III said he noticed the unusual condition while returning from Jakarta and passing along the toll road. From above, he observed large sections of mangrove forest appearing dry and lifeless.
“When I returned from Jakarta, I saw many mangroves had died. This does not look like natural aging, but due to external factors. We will ask Tahura, Pelindo, and Jasa Marga to explain why hundreds of these mangroves have died,” Parta said on Friday (Feb 20).
To verify the situation, Parta hired a small boat (jukung) to inspect the area from the sea side. During the inspection, approximately 200 to 300 mangrove trees were found dead simultaneously.
The affected species include Sonneratia alba, Rhizophora apiculata, and Avicennia marina, all common mangrove varieties in Bali’s coastal ecosystem.
Parta was accompanied by the Mangrove Ranger community and the Simbar Segara fishermen group, who also indicated that the tree deaths were unlikely caused by natural factors.
Preliminary suspicions point to a possible fuel pipeline leak in the area. According to information gathered, maintenance work was conducted in November 2025 on a fuel distribution pipeline running from Benoa Port to the Pertamina fuel depot in Pesanggaran. Around the same period, the mangrove trees reportedly began to wither.
“I suspect this is not due to natural causes. It needs to be proven, but based on initial information there are allegations of a pipeline leak belonging to Pertamina or another company operating here,” Parta stated.
The allegation prompted a response from Pertamina Patra Niaga. Area Manager for Communication, Relations & CSR Jatimbalinus, Ahad, said that the nearest facility, the Sanggaran Fuel Terminal, conducted a joint inspection with the Marine Police (Polairud) on Saturday (Feb 21).
According to the company’s visual inspection, no oil layer or strong fuel odor was detected.
“This morning after the joint inspection with Polairud, the Sanggaran Fuel Terminal team also attended a coordination meeting with the Bali Provincial Environmental and Forestry Agency (DKLH). As a follow-up, Pertamina Patra Niaga through the Sanggaran Fuel Terminal will review the chronology of operational activities over the past few months, particularly related to pipeline work around the Benoa area,” Ahad said.
He added that Pertamina will accelerate recovery efforts in the affected mangrove area and coordinate with other companies operating in Benoa, following direction from DKLH Bali.
“We are currently conducting further investigation related to operational activities, including ecosystem assessments, to determine the cause of the sudden mangrove die-off in Benoa,” he stated.
Parta has called on several institutions, including Tahura, Pelindo, Pertamina, Jasa Marga, and Indonesia Power, to provide transparent explanations to the public. He also urged law enforcement authorities, including Bali Police and the Bali High Prosecutor’s Office, to investigate the matter.
“I ask Bali Police and the Bali High Prosecutor’s Office to investigate who is responsible for this incident. These mangroves are visible from the roadside. They cannot simply be left to die without accountability,” he said.
Mangrove forests in Benoa play a critical role in protecting coastal ecosystems, preventing erosion, and supporting marine biodiversity in southern Bali.