Optimalisasi Lahan Kosong Berbasis Partisipasi Masyarakat Sebagai Upaya Penghijauan Lingkungan di Desa Pontang

Abstrak

The high prevalance of underutilized vacant land in Pontang District constitutes an urgent issue. Vacant land can become a practical entry point for community-based greening when it is managed through collective action rather than left as an unused open space. This article describes the seedling planting movement carried out by Community Service Program team of Group 32, Universitas Bina Bangsa, at the Pontang District field, Serang Regency, Banten. The activity involved community service team, the Pontang village head, neighborhood units RT 01 to RT 12, RW 02, Bhabinkamtibmas, Pontang Police Sector, Karang Taruna, and surrounding residents. A descriptive qualitative approach was applied using participatory observation, field documentation, and a review of recent literature on vacant-land greening, urban green infrastructure, ecosystem services, and community stewardship. The results show that the program functioned as an initial transformation of open vacant land into a planted space while also creating direct collaboration among village institutions, security actors, youth organizations, community service team, and residents. The environmental contribution identified in this article is still an early-stage potential because temperature, air quality, soil quality, and seedling survival were not measured quantitatively. Therefore, the main implication is the need to continue post-planting maintenance, periodic monitoring, and clearer responsibility sharing so that the planted seedlings can develop into durable green infrastructure rather than remain a one-time ceremonial activity.