The Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) of the Production Forest Management Unit (KPHP) Kahayan Tengah, together with the Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF) Indonesia, recently formed the Social Forestry Communication Forum (Forkompersos) in the UPT KPHP Kahayan Tengah area. This includes Palangka Raya City (Bukit Batu District and Rakumpit District) and Gunung Mas District (Kurun District and Pulang Pisau District, Banama Tingang District, Kahayan Tengah District and Jabiren Raya District).
The formation of the Forkompersos took place in the Hall of Health Training Centre (Bapelkes) of Central Kalimantan Province on the 23rd of May 2022. It was attended by the Head of UPT KPHP Kahayan Tengah, Kamalludin, and his staff; the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BNF Indonesia, Juliarta Bramansa Ottay, who joined online; and the Head of the Rungan Program BNF Indonesia, YB Anugerah Wicaksono, and his staff.
The event was also attended by the Managers of Social Forestry Permits (PS) in the UPT KPHP area of Kahayan Tengah, Camat, Lurah, as well as Village Heads and a number of Social Forestry assistants from Kahayan Tengah.
According to Kamalludin, this activity was carried out to realise forest area management through the PS programme towards a productive, creative and environmentally-sound economy. In line with this sentiment, the theme used for the event was “Developing Social Forestry through the Establishment of a Social Forestry Communication Forum and a Post-Permit Social Forestry Acceleration Team.”
“We hope that this will generate a solution to the PS development problem in the UPT KPHP Kahayan Tengah area, so this programme can make a real contribution towards improving the community’s economy and forest sustainability,” he said.
In addition to the formation of Forkompersos, this opportunity was also used as a forum for cross-social forestry discussions related to strategic issues, including carbon. After the issuance of Presidential Regulation number 98 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Carbon Economic Values for Achieving Nationally Determined Contribution Targets and Control of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in National Development, there were many offers to PS managers regarding carbon trading cooperation.
However, information obtained by the community about the opportunities and challenges of carbon trading is still minimal. Therefore, general carbon trading schemes were also discussed during the formation of the Forkompersos.
“Carbon trading is a hot topic of discussion among PS institutions and managers. However, there is very little information available to the public. In terms of policy, the government is still discussing the right scheme,” said the Head of the Rungan Program, Y.B. Anugrah Wicaksono.
Anugrah told us that the public and intermediary institutions participating in this forum must be patient, so that all policies governing the carbon trading scheme have a chance to be published.
“While waiting for the issuance of this carbon trading regulation, the public can continue to learn about and monitor its development, as well as continue their efforts to protect and manage the forests through the PS scheme,” he added.
Conditions across the relevant villages were then conveyed by representatives of the Chair of the Village Forest Management Institution (LPHD) at the monthly meeting of the Handep Hapakat Social Forestry Forum, Pulang Pisau Regency. As a result, it was agreed that the capacity for and knowledge of carbon trading should be improved within communities.
The Head of LPHD, Tuwung Kamison, said that the carbon issue is only unclear for residents due to a lack of socialisation and understanding. The parties themselves feel limited to explain carbon-related topics to the public.
“We can only encourage residents to continue to preserve the forest, so that in the future we can all enjoy its products and services, such as carbon. If the forest is dense, the carbon stores are better; and if the forest is damaged, those stores will cease to exist,” he said.
Kamison continued to add that, in future, concrete discussions and explanations will be provided regarding carbon, so that its results can be felt directly by the community.
“Forests are like a bank that stores everything we need in the form of medicine, food, wood, etc. Everything is stored properly in the forest, including the carbon itself, so we have a shared responsibility to protect it, with LPHD as the driver,” he concluded.
Written by: Yohanes Prahara, Content Creator and Media Liaison BNF Indonesia
Photo by: Meta Septalisa/BNF Indonesia