Support for the Institutional Strengthening of the Village Forest Management Institution in Doda Village, Central Sulawesi

To support the institutional strengthening of the Village Forest Management Institution (LPHD), the Kulawi Forest Management Unit (KPH Kulawi) recently held a series of meetings to offer support for forest management and the implementation of social forestry activities in the village of Doda in conjunction with the Social Forestry Business Group (KUPS). The meeting was held on 30 May 2023 in Dusun 1, Doda Village, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi. In addition to participants from the village government office, LPHD management, KUPS in Doda Village and KPH Kulawi, the meeting was also attended by FORCLIME Programme Director, Mr. Georg Buchholz, as a part of his agenda during his three-day visit to Palu.

During the meeting, several matters were agreed and will subsequently be followed up on, including:
- KUPS Sintuwu Singgani will test the candlenut crushing tool that has been provided by KPH Kulawi, the results of which will become the group's initial capital as it looks to go into business.
- KUPS Namoni Singgani will calculate the total number of harvested pineapples before formulating a plan for said results.
- As the facilitator, KPH Kulawi will accompany the two KUPS (Sintuwu Singgani and Namoni Singgani) as they carry out the activities agreed upon during the meeting.

As the meeting concluded, Mr. Buchholz encouraged the LPHD and KUPS to continue to engage in sound operations. In this regard, the quality of operations is often a consideration that is taken into account by central government and regional governments down to the level of village governments and other institutions, as they look to offer support for capacity building in order to ensure the progress of such groups.

For more information, please contact:
Muhammad Yusuf, Junior Advisor for Social Forestry and Sustainable Forest Management
Ismet Khaeruddin, Senior Adviser for Biodiversity Focal Point for the KFW Forest Program 3 and Provincial Coordinator for Central Sulawesi

Forest Inventory Technical Guidance Offered to Vocational Forestry School Teachers in Makassar

From 15 - 17 May 2023, the Makassar Forestry Vocational High School, working in conjunction with the Makassar Environment and Forestry Training Center, held a technical guidance session on forest inventories for teachers at the Forestry Vocational School of Makassar. This activity was held as a follow-up to the trilateral cooperation plan for the Makassar Vocational Forestry School, the Makassar Environment and Forestry Training Center and FORCLIME, as had previously been discussed back in early 2023. The technical guidance session was organized in an effort to increase the knowledge and skills of teachers within the forest inventory field so that teachers will ultimately be able to teach up-to-date and practical forest inventory-related materials to their students. The training was facilitated by lecturers (widyaiswara) from the Makassar Environment and Forestry Training Center and was attended by 30 participants.

On the first day of training, technical guidance was offered in class through materials that specifically addressed the Periodic Comprehensive Forest Inventory Sampling Technique (IHMB) and the Pre-Logging Stand Inventory Plan (ITSP). On the second day, technical assistance was carried out in the form of forest inventory field practice that was undertaken in the KHDTK Tabo-Tabo Training Forest. Moving on to the third day of the training, technical guidance was offered through a class that taught materials on the drawing up of a tree distribution map based on the results of an inventory in the field.

Generally speaking, the participants offered positive responses in their evaluations of the benefits of the technical guidance that was offered during the training. However, some participants felt that the timeframe that had been allotted for the technical guidance sessions was too short to adequately cover the complex materials that were being used. The participants therefore suggested that the timeframe set for any technical assistance could be extended in the future.

For more information, please contact:
Daniel Maertz, Adviser for Adult Education and Training
Edy Marbyanto, Strategic Area Manager for Human Capacity Development

KAREBA Orchid Group of the Lore Lindu Biosphere Reserve Organizes Regular Meetings as a Medium for Communication and Information Sharing

The KAREBA Orchid Group of the Lore Lindu Biosphere Reserve (KAREBA CBLL) comprises three groups of orchid farmers from three villages that are located in Palolo District in Sigi Regency in Central Sulawesi, specifically the villages of Karunia, Rejeki and Happy. This orchid farmers group, which was founded in 2017, has seven members drawn from each of these villages. The initial goal behind the forming of this group was to improve and develop the abilities of group members and their families to grow orchids, particularly the village women, given that most of the members of this group are women.

To improve communication and share information, KAREBA CBLL organizes regular meetings which are held on a monthly basis. On 2 May 2023, the group held a meeting in the village of Bahagia. During the meeting, the administrators and group members produced several agreements which are aimed at mutual progress, including the improvement of facilities and infrastructure in the orchid nurseries, as certain types of orchids grow well in clay pots. The group also discussed the best media in which to grow plants, including charcoal from saman (Samanea saman) and coffee woods, which are considered superior planting media. In addition, the meeting also discussed the group’s requirements, which include fertilizers, insecticides and other items. These items are needed due to the annoying presence of snail pests, while flower bud-destroying insects are also common pests in this area. During the meeting, KAREBA CBLL also discussed increasing shared knowledge capacity through simple training. This activity is expected to involve local instructors, who will act as resource personnel.

During the meeting initiated by the orchid farmers group, it was also agreed that a routine, monthly meeting would be held on the first Tuesday of every month. Through regularly meetings and exchanges of ideas, it is hoped that group members will be able to encourage the activities of other members. In terms of institutions, the meeting also discussed monthly fees and appointed a secretary from the village of Rejeki, resulting in an equal distribution of representation from each village. Currently, the chairman of KAREBA CBLL is from the village of Bahagia, while the group treasurer is a representative from the village of Karunia Village.

The monthly meetings will be rotated across KAREBA CBLL group villages, with next month’s meeting planned for Rejeki. However, meetings can also be held in places capable of offering increased knowledge to group members, for example at the Orchid Breeding site in the Kalimpaa Lake Tourism area or the Bancea Orchid Tourism Park in Poso Regency.

For more information, please contact:
Muhammad Yusuf, Junior Advisor for Social Forestry and Sustainable Forest Management
Ismet Khaeruddin, Senior Adviser for Biodiversity Focal Point for the KFW Forest Program 3 and Provincial Coordinator for Central Sulawesi