Press Release: Strengthening Village Forest Management for Mangrove Conservation in Kubu Raya Coastal Area
The following release was originally published and is available in Indonesian.
PONTIANAK – Kubu Raya is one of the coastal areas in West Kalimantan that possesses important coastal resources. The expanse of mangrove forests serves as an ecological protection and support system for global climate stability. This mangrove ecosystem also has the potential to support the economy of coastal communities through many livelihoods.
The Head of Kubu Raya Forest Management Unit, Ya' Suharnoto said that “it is possible to optimize the mangrove forest area in the coastal area of Kubu Raya, especially since this area provides very important economic, ecological and social functions. Ecologically, the mangrove forest area functions as a life support system, economically it functions as a source that produces goods (wood and non-timber) and services (environmental services), and socially it functions as a source of livelihood and employment, including for the benefit of education, research, and the development of science and technology.”
The management area of Kubu Raya covers 317,402.52 ha of forest areas, which based on forest function is divided into conservation forest, protection forest, and production forest.
The approach to protecting and managing mangrove forest areas in the coastal area of Kubu Raya is carried out through the Social Forestry Program using the Village Forest scheme. Social Forestry management must have a significant impact on village development, both within and around forest areas. This is in accordance with the MoEF Regulation No. 9/2021 on Social Forestry Management.
Social Forestry is a sustainable forest management system, implemented in state forest areas or Private Forests/Customary Forests, carried out by local communities or customary law communities as the main actors to improve their welfare, environmental balance, and socio-cultural dynamics.
“The approach to forest area management through Social Forestry is carried out by empowering coastal communities in Kubu Raya area through the involvement of the Village Forest Management Institution (LDPH) as the manager of the Village Forest area. Thus, it is hoped that the community will actively and consciously participate in protecting the forest area,” added Ya' Suharnoto.
Joint Regulation of the Village Head No. 1 of 2022 concerning Cooperation in the Management of Mangrove and Coastal Areas in Teluk Pakedai and Kubu Subdistricts, Kubu Raya Regency has been ratified by six village heads, namely Sungai Nibung Village, Seruat Dua Village, Mengkalang Village, Mengkalang Jambu Village, Kuala Karang Village, and Dabong Village in January 2021.
The Joint Village Head Regulation (Permakades) is a sign of the commitment of the village government and sub-district government in strengthening the sustainable management and protection of mangrove forest areas in the coastal area of Kubu Raya.
Planet Indonesia, as a non-governmental organization that focuses on community empowerment and conservation in West Kalimantan, has assisted five villages that already have legality in the form of Village Forest Management Rights in Seruat Pulau Tiga Protection Forest Landscape, Kubu Raya.
Among these villages are Dabong Village with village forest area of 2,859 hectares, Nibung River covering an area of 3,058 hectares, Seruat Dua covering an area of 613 hectares, and Tanjung Harapan covering an area of 17,445 hectares. Meanwhile, Mengkalang Village with village forest area of 1,984 hectares and Mengkalang Jambu covering 2,920 hectares are in the process of submitting for village forest decree.
Planet Indonesia takes an approach to empowering coastal communities through assistance to the Village Forest Management Institution (LDPH) as a governance institution for managing mangrove forest areas at the village level.
The context of mentoring is emphasized on conservation actions that focus on education and knowledge transfer regarding sustainable management of Non-Timber Forest Products, data collection on mangrove forest ecosystems, and rehabilitation of wetlands (mangrove restoration) while still paying attention to economic, cultural, educational, and environmental aspects of coastal communities.
Management and empowerment of the Village Forest Management Institution governance is carried out by facilitating community groups actively and consciously in protecting forest areas, especially mangrove ecosystems in coastal areas with assistance through the integration of several YPI program implementations.
The scope of mentoring activities includes periodic temporary closure, mangrove crab data collection, river and village forest areas patrol, mangrove planting, mangrove no take zone management, village potential development through Social Forestry Business Groups, as well as capacity building for Village Forest Management Institution and fishermen.
The head of Mengkalang Jambu Village Forest Management Institution, Haripin said that “the conservation program for the mangrove forest area helped encourage the active role of the community, including Village Forest Management Institution, to contribute in the efforts of protecting the coastal area of Kubu Raya. The benefits of mangrove forests are very important for the livelihoods and welfare of coastal communities, especially fishermen, therefore it is very important for us to maintain the integrity of the ecosystem.”
The mangrove ecosystem area is currently a protected area that is vulnerable to threats, both naturally such as erosion and due to human activities such as encroachment, conversion of forest areas (ponds, concession, etc.), and overexploitation of natural resources.
"In the context of restoring the mangrove ecosystem, Planet Indonesia throughout 2018-2022, has initiated and facilitated the planting of 200,000 mangrove seedlings on degraded land, open land, pond land, and non-pond land in three villages (Sungai Nibung Village, Mengkalang Village, and Seruat Dua Village) with a success rate of 60 percent,” said Conservation Program Manager of Planet Indonesia, M. Syukur Wahyu Putra.
As a form of coordination, building synergies between stakeholders and strengthening village forest management for mangrove conservation in the coastal area of Kubu Raya, Planet Indonesia carried out the evaluation of the conservation program with Village Forest Management Institution, village governments, and related agencies (West Kalimantan Provincial Environment and Forestry Agency, Kubu Raya FMU, and Kubu Raya Cooperatives and Micro Enterprises Agency).
"This is a form of joint activity with the stakeholders aimed to convey the results of the implementation of the Planet Indonesia Conservation Program in the coastal area of Kubu Raya and to gather input for optimizing and increasing the effectiveness of program implementation," close M. Syukur Wahyu Putra.
For more information, please contact:
Lia Syafitri | Communication and Outreach Manager
Yayasan Planet Indonesia
JL. Perdana No. 89-D – Pontianak Selatan
HP: +62 821 5929 0047 | E-mail:lia.syafitri@planetindonesia.org
Images are available on request.