In an effort to lay the groundwork for the development of the University of Ottow Geissler Papua Educational Forest (UOGP) in Jayapura, in 2021, the university, supported by FORCLIME, held Free Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) or public consultations with customary peoples and communities who live in and own the areas in and around the proposed location of the Educational Forest. The FPIC activity resulted in an agreement and received support from the community and other stakeholders as regards the Education Forest Development Plan. The location that has been chosen for the proposed Educational Forest comprises land for other purposes (APL) that belongs to the local customary communities. This ultimately means that the University of Ottow Geissler Papua will not need to submit a permit proposal that addresses the preparation of the Educational Forest to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry.

Following up on the FPIC activity, UOGP and FORCLIME held a meeting in order to discuss the preparation of a Long-Term Forest Management Plan (RPHJP) for the Educational Forest of Ottow Geissler University Papua on 14 April 2022 in Jayapura, Papua. The RPHJP will be drawn up as a management instrument so that the Educational Forest can be managed effectively and purposefully. The RPHJP is being prepared in line with Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry Number P. 15/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM. 1/5/2018 on Forest Areas with Special Purposes (KHDTK). Senior lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Marine Affairs, University of Ottow Geissler Papua, Frank Leonardo Apituley, S.Hut., M.Si., welcomed the idea of the RPHJP. Mr. Apituley also added that a number of research and education activities have already been carried out at the location in question. In addition, the Papua Provincial Forestry Service, the Forest Management Unit and the Papua Natural Resources and Conservation Center also offered their full cooperation and support for the development of the UOGP Educational Forest. During the discussion, it was also agreed that the preparation of the RPHJP would be followed up by the identification of relevant data that is already available as a part of materials that are being used during the preparation of a description of the Educational Forest area of Ottow Geissler University Papua.

For more information, please contact:
Ruben Yogi, Junior Adviser for GIS and Forest Mapping
Edy Marbyanto, Strategic Area Manager for Human Capacity Development

Created: 25 April 2022

With the purpose of preparing a modern nursery capable of producing good quality seeds, the Central Su-lawesi Provincial Forestry Service, led by its head and accompanied by the Head of Watershed Manage-ment and Forest and Land Rehabilitation, as the technical officer in charge of seed management at this facility, paid a visit to the Rumpin Seed Source and Nursery Center (RSSNC) in Bogor, West Java on 31 March 2022. This activity, which was supported by FORCLIME, was organized in order to secure data and information on the primary and supporting facilities available at this modern nursery, as well as to gain information on the procedures and stages involved in seed production processes capable of producing high-quality seeds.

This working visit is expected to result in recommendations relating to the implementation of follow-ups at the forest plant nursery that is currently in operation at the Forestry Service of Central Sulawesi Province. In this regard, the information that was obtained during this visit to the RSSNC will hopefully be adopted, replicated and/or modified in accordance with the prevailing conditions in Central Sulawesi in order to produce high-quality seeds that are capable of supporting efforts to increase the success of forest and land rehabilitation activities.

For more information, please contact:
Fikty Aprilinayati, Advisor for Sustainable Forest Management and Biosphere Reserve Management
Ismet Khaeruddin, Senior Advisor for the Biodiversity Focal Point for the KFW Forest Program 3 and Provin-cial Coordinator for Central Sulawesi

Created: 18 April 2022

The traditional culture that is practised in the village of Toro in Central Sulawesi is sadly dying out. Indeed, the number of craftsmen skilled in the art of working with bark cloth is dropping precipitously as younger members of the community become progressively less familiar with this traditional artform. In response to this decline, FORCLIME offered its support for efforts that are being made by the Toro Village Customary Women's Organization (OPANT) to preserve the culture of bark cloth production and its utilization as a handicraft of economic value, including as wall decorations, through a number of sharing sessions for women and students that were held at the Toro Village Traditional School. This activity took place between 25 - 27 March 2022 at the school and began with the planting of 200 seeds that will grow into the raw materials used to produce bark cloth, specifically the banyan tree (which is known as the nunu tree in the local language). Prior to the planting, the seeds had been prepared in natural polybags made from banana tree trunks and midribs.

During the activity, various discussions and experience sharing sessions were held that addressed:
- The types of products that can be created from bark cloth.
- The establishment and arrangement of women’s groups institutions that engage in bark cloth craft and entrepreneurship.
- The potential market for bark cloth crafts, including the forest management unit (KPH) gallery

In the wake of this sharing session, it is expected that the female students of the Toro Village Traditional School and the women of Toro will be able to boost their incomes through the production of bark cloth handicrafts. In addition, the village women have now assumed responsibility for the sustainability of the banyan tree, the source of the bark cloth material.

For more information, please contact:
Fikty Aprilinayati, Advisor for Sustainable Forest Management and Biosphere Reserve Management
Ismet Khaeruddin, Senior Advisor for the Biodiversity Focal Point for the KFW Forest Program 3 and Provincial Coordinator for Central Sulawesi

Created: 11 April 2022