In order to continue with support for Forest Farming Groups (KTH) in Yanggandur Village and Wasur Village, Merauke, FORCLIME recently coordinated with the Wasur National Park (NP) Management to discuss various priorities that will be jointly implemented within the two villages during 2023. This coordination meeting was held on Wednesday, 11 January 2023 at the Wasur NP office and was led by the Head of the Wasur NP Management, Mr. Yarman, S.Hut, M.P.

The meeting commenced with an evaluation of the various activities that were undertaken during 2022. Said activities involved FORCLIME support for the dissemination of information about the programme based on the principles of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and the strengthening of the capacities of KTH so that they can better manage their areas, institutions and businesses. FORCLIME also facilitated a study visit to a KTH in West Bali, as well as to an exhibition in Jayapura. The KTH in Wasur are focusing on the development of nature-based tourism services, orchid cultivation and the development of sarang semut tea. Sarang semut or Myrmecodia spp is a plant that is commonly found in Papua and is believed to have various health benefits. The word, “Myrmecodia” derives from the Greek language and means, “surrounded by ants”. The plant itself features a perforated shape and is indeed used as a nest by ants.

Meanwhile, the Yanggandur group is focusing on the development of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), such as trigona honey, candlenut oil, eucalyptus oil, red fruit oil, shredded tilapia fish and banana-based processed products.

Based on the results of the discussion, FORCLIME will continue to support the capacity strengthening of KTH during 2023 and will also continue to engage in market access analysis. In addition, Mr. Yarman issued instructions aimed at supporting the management of distribution permits and orchid trade permits so that orchid marketing can be undertaken on a broader basis.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Yarman offered his impressions of the villages’ various activities, stating that, "Hopefully, through community development activities in the supported villages, these villages will be able to reap the optimal benefits of NTFP management and ultimately improve their standards of living”.

For more information, please contact:
Theodora F. Resubun, Advisor for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua Province
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic Area Manager for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua and West Papua Provinces

Created: 26 January 2023

In an effort to improve knowledge management regarding biodiversity within the Wasur National Park (Wasur NP), the Management of the Wasur National Park, supported by FORCLIME, is currently preparing a field guidebook on reptiles living within the national park area and its surroundings. The collection of data for inclusion in the book was initiated by Wasur National Park staff member, Mr. Zaenal Arifin, A.Md, the park’s senior forest ranger. This data was subsequently reviewed by a herpetofauna expert, Burhan Tjaturhadi, S.Sc., M.Sc.

In order to finalize the book, the Wasur National Park Management held a meeting on 10 January 2023 at the Wasur National Park Meeting Room in Merauke, South Papua Province. During the meeting, Mr. Burhan presented the results of his review of various types of reptiles (snakes, turtles, lizards), which were produced from the data collected by the Wasur National Park. Said results encompass the distribution of species, as well as comparisons with the distributions of other species and their statuses.

“This reptile guidebook should prove highly useful because, to date, a significant amount of data has been collected by the Wasur National Park and is set to be documented in the publication of a book that should become a vital source of information, not only for the Wasur National Park but also for Merauke and its surroundings,” stated the Head of Wasur National Park, Yarman S.Hut, M.P., in his opening remarks at the meeting.

During the meeting, Mr Burhan also offered technical guidance to the Wasur National Park staff regarding the identification of various reptile species, including various poisonous and non-poisonous species of snake, as well as the types of data that must be collected in order to identify reptile species. In addition, knowledge of various types of reptiles and their distributions was also disseminated. Staff from the Wasur National Park also presented several findings relating to the identification of various species of frog.

In the wake of this meeting, the Reptile Field Guidebook for the Wasur National Park Area and its surroundings will be finalized and should soon be available to relevant stakeholders.

For more information, please contact:
Theodora F. Resubun, Advisor for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua Province
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic Area Manager for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua and West Papua Provinces

Created: 25 January 2023

In an effort to ensure the conservation of wildlife (flora and fauna), the Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) in Papua, supported by FORCLIME, held a workshop on the Management of Wildlife Utilization on 6 January 2023 in Jayapura, Papua Province. The hybrid workshop was opened by the Head of the BBKSDA, A.G. Martana, S.Hut., M.P.

The workshop was attended by officials from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), specifically the Director of Conservation for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, Drh. Indra Exploitasia, M.Sc., and representatives from the Directorate of Environmental Impact Prevention, Business and Activities, as well as the Head of KLHK Technical Implementation Units in Papua Province (The Center for Employment of Ecoregion Development, The Mamberamo Watershed Management Center, The Forest and Environmental Area Center, The Center for Sustainable Forest Management), and also the Heads of various Papuan National Parks (Wasur, Lorentz, Teluk Cenderawasih). In addition, the Head of the Jayapura Agricultural Quarantine Center was also in attendance, as well as various private sector players that are currently engaging in the use of natural resources within Papua Province.

“There are three pillars that are the basis for the management of the conservation of living natural resources and their ecosystems, specifically: the protection of life support systems; the preservation of the diversity of wild plants and wild animals and their ecosystems; and the sustainable use of living natural resources and their ecosystems,” the Head of BBKSDA explained in his remarks. “The implementation of these three pillars, if carried out consistently, can support efforts to improve people’s welfare and improve the quality of human life,” he added.

During the workshop, participants received information and knowledge relating to the following areas and from the following sources:

1. Management of wildlife flora and fauna (TSL) through protection, preservation and utilization from the Director for the Conservation of Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, KLHK, drh. Indra Eksploitasia, M.Sc.
2. Prevention and handling of wild animal diseases from the Head of the Jayapura Agricultural Quarantine Center, drh. Muhlis Natsir, M.Kes.
3. Licensing for businesses that utilize wildlife (flora and fauna) from the Head of the Sub-Directorate for Species Utilization and Genetics, Directorate of Conservation of Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, KLHK, Ratih Listyo Rini, S.hut, M.Ec., M.E.
4. Services for licensing and the evaluation of wildlife businesses from the Head of the Papua Natural Resources Conservation Technical Division, Julius Palita, S.Hut.
5. Opportunities and challenges relating to the business of wildlife utilization in Indonesia from the Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Flora Fauna Entrepreneurs, Mashur MA, S.H., M.Sc.
6. The Online Single Submission (OSS) licensing service from the Directorate for the Prevention of Environmental Impacts, Businesses and Activities, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Nugroho Indra Windardi, S.Hut.

As these were a series of workshops, the following day (7 January 2023) saw the BBKSDA Papua, in conjunction with related partners, releasing 19 wild animals in a forest close to the village of Dosai. The released animals included two white-lipped pythons (Leiopython albertisii), three green tree pythons (Morelia viridis), one Papuan ground boa (Candoia aspera), two Papuan monitor lizards (Varanus salvadorii), eight black-capped lories (Lorius lory) and three Sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita). Some of the released animals had been translocated from the East Java Natural Resources Conservation Center, while others had been handed over by the Jayapura Agricultural Quarantine Center, Papua Regional Police Headquarters and local communities.

As a follow-up to this workshop, help for forest farmer groups in supported villages will be provided, particularly help relating to the utilization of orchids in order to secure permits through the Online Single Submission (OSS) system.

For more information, please contact:
Theodora F. Resubun, Advisor for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua Province
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic Area Manager for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua and West Papua Provinces

Created: 25 January 2023