Palangka Raya, 21 October 2021—To strengthen prevention of forest fire in Sebangau National Park, Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) Directorate General of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Conservation (Ditjen KSDAE) together with the Sebangau National Park Office (BTNS) and the Borneo Nature Foundation (BNF) Indonesia, held Spatial Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Tools (SMART) Patrol Training, October 21-23, 2021 in Palangka Raya.
The training participants consisted Fire Care Community (MPA) Kereng Bangkirai members, and forest police and Forest Fire Control Brigade (Brigdalkarhut) members of Sebangau National Park. This activity was attended by the Head of the Sub-Directorate of Conservation Area Management Planning at the Directorate of Conservation Areas of KLHK Ratna Hendratmoko, Head of BTNS Andi M Kadhafi, and BNF Indonesia Conservation Team.
Andi M Kadhafi explained that the SMART Patrol training is expected to increase the capacity and knowledge of the participants in using the SMART application and operating drones so that mobile monitoring and surveillance in fire-prone areas, especially in the Sebangau National Park area, can be optimized. In this training, the Head of the Sub-Directorate of Conservation Area Planning at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ratna Hendratmoko, provided briefing materials on the effectiveness of conservation area management.
“Therefore, through this training, we hope that there will be strengthening of insight and knowledge in the field of conservation, especially in efforts to prevent, control, and cope forest fires so that later forest fires can be handled better,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Conservation Manager of BNF Indonesia, Adhy Maruly said, in addition to being indoors, the SMART Patrol training activity will also be carried out outdoors in the form of field practices for data collection as well as fire prevention patrols in the Habaring Hurung Resort work area, SPTN Region II, Sebangau National Park.
“With field practice, we hope that the training materials can be better utilized by training participants so that later they can properly apply the results of the training,” said Adhy.
He added that the presence of BNF Indonesia in this training is a form of support to the KLHK and BTNS in conservation in Sebangau National Park. In addition to this training activity, BNF Indonesia also supports the forest ecosystem restoration program implemented by BTNS through the development of community nurseries and tree replanting in the rehabilitation zone of Sebangau National Park.
In the same place, Coodinator of MPA Kereng Bangkirai, Palangka Raya City, Aditya revealed that MPA is one of the front lines when forest fires occur. People who live close to the forest are always the first troops to apply fire.
“We are always on standby when a forest fire occurs, especially in Sebangau. We hope that the existence of this SMART Patrol will make it easier and faster for us to deal with forest fire disasters,” he hoped.
Writer: Yohanes Prahara/BNF Indonesia
Photo by Yohanes Prahara & Shaniya Utami/BNF Indonesia
