The Ministry of Forestry together with FORCLIME held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on "Refining a Guideline for the use of the Mono Cable Winch (MCW)” on 14 November 2012. The purpose of the discussion was to finalize the MCW guideline, to increase understanding of the Mono Cable Winch harvesting system, to integrate the use of MCW into forestry policy and increase the ministry’s awareness of the need for a policy on the implementation of MCW as well as to explore ways of making the policy attractive to be implemented.

Dr. Yosep Ruslim from Mulawarman University gave a presentation on “Understanding the Harvesting System using Monocable Winch, its policy and relation to emissions reduction”. The FGD was attended by 23 technical staff from the Ministry of Forestry, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), GIZ-FORCLIME, the forest concession holders association (Asosiasi Pengusaha Hutan Indonesia – APHI) and representatives from forest concessionaires that already have some experience with MCW.

The presenter explained that MCW is one of the tools for Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) since it reduces negative impacts of log skidding. The use of MCW can contribute to reducing carbon emissions, because forest degradation will be reduced and less fossil fuel is used per cubic metre of timber removed. The equipment can be produced domestically with a relatively low price (around Rp. 50 million). Participants discussed ways in which MCW should be promoted in natural forest concessions as part of the overall silvicultural system and improved forest harvesting planning.
The challenges encountered in the application of these tools are that the operators are not accustomed to using the tools and that MCW equipment in the field is often associated with illegal logging.

The FGD participants agreed that a decree at the level of the Director General would be issued as a legal basis and regulatory support. Participants proposed to explore incentives for the use of MCW such as fiscal policy incentives or a price premium reward. Finally, the FGD also reached a decision to review Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) comprehensively in the future.