Shk.or.id
Title
SHK Kaltim | Community-based Forest Management East Kalimantan
Description
Kalimantan’s rich tropical rainforests have been conserved for centuries by indigenous peoples for many customary uses, yet community customary rights are poorly recognised under Indonesian law. The lack of indigenous land-tenure security and the lack of bureaucratic efficiency are major contributors to forest loss . Since the late 1960s, destructive large-scale commercial logging and native forest conversion to plantations has severely impacted upon the forests of East Kalimantan and the communities that depend on them.
A change in policy in 1998 which granted small concessions (100ha maximum for one year) administered at the District level (called IPHH) provided an opportunity for communities to manage the forest themselves. However, this policy was poorly managed and hence led to continued unsustainable logging with minimal benefits flowing to local communities.
The main objective of the project is to develop a model of community-based forest management - especially involving timber extraction – that will generate forest conservation and sustainable usage, while strongly influencing public opinion and policies on natural resource management in West Kutai District. SHK-Kaltim’s Ecoforestry team have been assisting communities in participatory land use and management plan development, business planning development, training, marketing, lobbying and policy development in order to facilitate community forestry and public education activities on community based forest management.
