In plain view, rivers are currently full of garbage, waste, especially rivers located in residential and urban areas. Even if the river is managed it does not pay attention to the ecosystem. Though the river is a landscape that is very useful for humans. Rivers have many strategic roles, including as a water supply, tackling floods, tackling drought, means of transportation, micro-climate, ecosystem health, green lines, education, and many other benefits.
The many benefits derived from rivers are not matched by public awareness in treating rivers. People no longer pay attention to the river and let the river languish so that its sustainability is threatened. Therefore, river restoration is a necessity to restore the identity of the river in order to create a clean, healthy, productive and sustainable river.
River restoration is a paradigm shift in river engineering, which is a change from a settlement pattern based on partial hydro civil engineering aspects to an integrated solution of hydraulic, physical, ecological, and social aspects. Thus, the restoration of this river is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sustainable development is a development process based on the principle of “meeting the needs of the present without compromising meeting the needs of future generations” (according to the Brundtland Report of the United Nations, 1987). One of the factors that must be faced to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals is to repair environmental damage without compromising the need for economic development and social justice. River restoration is an integrated solution to improve the river environment by paying attention to economic development and social justice. Realizing these two things at the same time is not an easy matter. Thus, river restoration is a solution as well as a challenge for the realization of sustainable development.
With this background in mind, the Faculty of Geography of UMS in collaboration with IGI (Indonesian Geographers Association) and the GRSI Community (Indonesian River Restoration Movement) will hold a National Seminar with the theme “River Restoration: Challenges and Solutions for Sustainable Development”. This activity is a means of communication between geographers in Indonesia, so that it is possible to exchange ideas and information from the results of research and community service that are of high quality and have usefulness to support the restoration of rivers in Indonesia.
This seminar is open to discuss the results of research and community service which includes the following sub-themes: (a) River Restoration and Physical Resource Development, (b) River Restoration and Human Resource Development, (c) Contribution of Education in River Restoration, and (d) Remote Sensing and GIS Application for River Restoration. This seminar activity will be held on June 30, 2018 at the Pramesthi Kartasura Hotel, Sukoharjo
The full details of the seminar activities can be seen at the following link: (http://semnasgeo.ums.ac.id/2018/). To register as a presenter and participant, please visit the link (http://semnasgeo.ums.ac.id/submit/) or click here