By: Elisabeth Wetik
Pontianak (25/01)-In line with efforts to increase the capacity and effectiveness of national park management, the Betung Kerihun National Park (TBNK) Center in collaboration with WWF Indonesia held a discussion on the collaborative management of TNBK on January 24, 2011 in Pontianak, West Kalimantan.
In the opening of the discussion, the Head of the Balai Besar TNBK, Dr. Ir. Joko Prihatno, MM, said that TNBK has many strategic values, namely located in the conservation district, included in the Heart of Borneo (HoB) area, nominated in the world heritage, and included in the National Strategic Area (KSN).
Therefore, cooperation with various parties including partners and communities is needed in managing the TNBK. Furthermore, the Head of the TNBK Center said that the purpose of the discussion was to share information between partners so that potential and opportunities for collaboration could be identified and formulated in collaborative management with partners. At that occasion, the Head of the TNBK Center said that the discussion was aimed at sharing information between partners.

Not only that, Joko Prihatno also launched the TNBK website which contains the latest information on the national park area which has an area of 800,000 hectares. "This website not only contains information on the area and biodiversity of TNBK, but also contains ecotourism information that can attract visitors to come to this area," he explained. At the discussion, he also acted as one of the key speakers. He presented the opportunities and potential in the TNBK that can be managed collaboratively. Meanwhile, four other speakers were presented from four TNBK partners, namely the Forestry and Plantation Service (Disbunhut) of Kapuas Hulu Regency, WWF West Kalimantan Program, Flora Fauna International (FFI) and GIZ's Forest & Climate Change Program (FORCLIME). Each of them presented programs and activities that have been and are being carried out in the TNBK area and its buffer zone.
At the end of the discussion, it was agreed that TNBK will summarize all programs and activities that have been presented and discussed together with partners. As a follow-up, TBNK will hold a follow-up meeting to finalize the collaborative management of TNBK with partners.