It is difficult to stop local populations or outside interests from over-harvesting forest resources. However, a way to steer the incentives in a positive direction is to set sustainable land use agreements. One idea developing is the granting of permits for what are called “working forests” to local village groups, headed by a central village council. By appointing community stewards to use and protect forests gives a sense of community vestment and a return to traditional values. Sustainable commercial uses of the land are allowed, but the program is designed to bring about a connection to preserving their forests rather than rapidly exploit them.
A proposal is now being considered by the Ministry of Forestry to issue a decree 2,356-hectares (4.94 acres) of the Bukit Panjang-Rantau Bayur conservation forest as a reserved village forest working area for the village of Lubok Bringing, Jambi province. The local residents have practiced traditional values that have helped them protect surrounding forest areas including rubber forest areas and water sources. The villagers have won recognition for their successful land management practices. In a recent article in The Jakarta Post “The rules are incorporated in the Village Conservation Agreement, in which residents agree not to cultivate farmland on slopes, cliffs, river banks and upstream areas for fear of erosion, floods and landslides”.
To preserve the forest and the value of the local ecosystem, villagers have also agreed to protect the Rantau Bayur forest conservation, which is one of the water catchment areas within the Batang Buat river basin. If the village-forest proposal were approved, this would be the first in Indonesia and a possible blueprint of best practices to be incorporated in other parts of the archipelago, including Java. This agreement provides solutions for proper land use management and ensures environmental protections that are designed to mitigate the harmful effects of deforestation. It would also provide protection against large corporate interests from moving into and exploiting the ecosystem and infringing on local populations.
-Amy Hammes
