By: Davit Purwodesrantau

Palangka Raya - Tree adoption trials conducted by the Tumbang Bulan Village community in 2015 achieved 98% success. This achievement was obtained after 2 verifications conducted in 2016 from 5 adopters in Tumbang Bulan Village on an area of 12.5 Ha with the type of plant is Belangeran (Shorea blangeran) as many as 5000 trees.

Bambang, a resident of Tumbang Bulan who became an adopter, said he was satisfied with the success they achieved. In the initial verification, out of 1000 plants planted, 200 died. Then in the second verification they replanted 180 trees and all lived. "This success is the result of our hard work in caring for the plants even though we are not obliged to care for and maintain them. However, because this is our hard work, we did it without even being asked," Bambang said.

The tree adoption verification results that have been declared successful are the basis for WWF Indonesia Central Kalimantan to continue the activity. In the future, maintenance will be carried out for 317 Ha of tree planting around 126,800 trees in 2017 - 2018. And this plan has been carried out by the Tumbang Bulan Village Deliberation with a plan to involve 126 households.

Ma'mun Ansori, Hydrology Officer of WWF Indonesia Central Kalimantan, said that the tree adoption activity carried out in Tumbang Bulan Village was initiated by WWF Indonesia Central Kalimantan. The tree adoption program is one of the efforts to rehabilitate degraded forest land by involving local people (as implementers of planting and maintenance) and adopters as funders of the Moon River restoration program and Sekamoza (Germany), as well as operators (as managers of WWF Indonesia Central Kalimantan activities). "This mechanism is an improvement of the planting method carried out by WWF Indonesia Central Kalimantan so far. And, to improve it, trials are needed," Ma'mun explained.

Ma'mun explained, this adoption system is an improvement with the consideration that in terms of financing it is more efficient than the previous mechanism without anyone being disadvantaged. In addition, this activity instills a sense of responsibility to the adopters. In implementing tree adoption, WWF Indonesia Central Kalimantan has taken several steps such as socialization, determining adopters through deliberation, determining technical activities, financing, and implementing planting. And, in its implementation, it is purely carried out by the community in the Sebangau National Park area.

Along with the management of tree adoption activities-WWF Indonesia Central Kalimantan-will carry out plant maintenance every 3 months (adjusted to project needs). In the maintenance phase, adopters will receive compensation of Rp. 2,000 per living tree on the condition that they clean the land quarterly, carry out replanting with the responsibility of seedlings from adopters, and clean up around the tree.

"This tree adoption program is outlined in the form of a cooperation agreement between the adopter and the manager with the knowledge of the Tumbang Bulan Village Government based on deliberation. However, the agreement will be canceled if there is a fire disaster that results in the failure of tree planting, "said Ma'mun.

Meanwhile, Yeyet Suryatno, Reforestration Officer of WWF Indonesia in Central Kalimantan, said that the success of the tree adoption program in Tumbang Bulan Village will be duplicated in other villages. It is currently running in the Jahanjang irrigation canal with 10 adopters and 25 hectares of land for 2017-2018. In the Lampanen area of the Sebangau River, 24 people are involved with a land area of 60 hectares and an additional 40 hectares will be added involving the Kereng Bangkirai Community Forum in 2017-2018. The small Sebangau River in Sebangau jaya Village involved 40 adopters with an area of 100 Ha in 2017.

In addition, duplication of this activity will also be implemented in Landabung River in Perigi Village in an area of 100 Ha and a Village Deliberation has been held involving 40 households. "The plan is to develop a 100 Ha tree adoption in Sungai kaki Village in 2017. For monitoring and verification using the mobile data collection (MDC) application," Yeyet explained.