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| New Boundary Socialisation Programme for Batang Toru
The new programme supports relevant district government agencies to socialise existing protection forest boundaries, disseminate information on regulations for protected wildlife, and the function of protection forest as life support system to the community inside or near the boundary of the Batang Toru Forest Block BTFB. Interactive dialogue will be held by Yayasan Ekosistem Lestari, Perkumpulan Samudera, and relevant government officers with the local community. However, prior to direct meeting with local community, two workshops are held: 1) District level workshop with government agencies at district level, and 2) Sub-district workshop with related sub-district heads, village heads, religious leaders, and customary leaders. The purpose of the two workshops is to prepare a shared perception regarding the forest boundaries, protection forest, and forestry and wildlife regulations among the officers who will meet the villagers near the edges of the Batang Toru forest.
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The first workshop held in Pandan, Central Tapanuli, was officially
opened by the head of Forestry and Estate Crop Services of Central
Tapanuli, Mr. APM Simanjuntak on behalf of District Head (Bupati) of
Central Tapanuli. Up to 49 persons participated in the workshop
including District Forestry and Estate Crop Services of Tapanuli
Tengah, Regional Development Planning Body (Bappeda), Regional
Environment Impact Management Body (Bapedalda), Agriculture and Animal
Husbandry Services, Land Service, PLTA/PLN Sipansipahoras. Heads of
sub-district from Sibabangun, Badiri, Pandan, Tukka, Sarudik, Sitahuis,
were all participated in the workshop. Representatives from YEL,
SAMUDERA, local press, and Public Relations agencies also participated.
During
the first day, head of Forestry and Estate Crop, Mr. APM Simanjuntak
gave a presentation on general condition of the Batang Toru forest
specifically in Central Tapanuli. He told the audience that
encroachment is very difficult to control in this area. Another concern
of APM Simanjuntak is the threat from the logging concession, PT. Teluk
Nauli. He said that although PT. Teluk Nauli already holds a logging
permit in the Batang Toru, the government of Central Tapanuli does not
approve its annual work plan in Central Tapanuli. This means that PT.
Teluk Nauli cannot operate in Central Tapanuli. According to APM
Simanjutnak, the economic value of sustainable utilization of BTFB will
far exeed the economic value from logging concession, encroachment, and
mining which will damage the environment surrounding the Batang Toru
forest. Following the presentation of APM Simanjutak, Mr. Riswan Zein
from YEL/SOCP gave a second presentation with more detailed information
of economic value of the Batang Toru forest.
Early this year,
PanEco and its key Indonesian partner, YEL together with a local NGO
SAMUDERA, carried out a socio-economic survey in the BTFB in Central
Tapanuli and found out from the people living inside the forest that
they are not well informed of the protection forest boundary.
Therefore, they just encroach wherever is good for farming, estate
crop, and to grow rice. "No effort has been done yet so far, to prevent
encroachments in the Batang Toru Forests. With this socialization we
hope prevent further encroachment in the area" said Ms. Gabriella
Fredriksson, Coordinator of Batang Toru Programme. Some 100 billboards
are being made with various conservation messages which will be placed
at strategic points during the socialization process.
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