By Anastasia Joanita

The condition of sustainable natural resource management, which is also the basis of green development priorities in Indonesia, is expected to face increasing challenges in the coming years. Pressures from the social, economic and political sides will increasingly complicate the real work on the ground. The magnitude of these pressures and challenges requires closer cooperation between parties, better organized, and supported by stronger commitment in order to unravel and solve these pressures and challenges one by one.

Realizing this, Malinau Regency once again collaborated with WWF Indonesia as a conservation partner in the region. On Saturday, June 14, 2014 at the Atlet Century Hotel Jakarta, WWF Indonesia and the District Government of Malinau, North Kalimantan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which is the first step in preparing the implementation of the green development concept in Malinau for the next 5 years (2014-2019). The signing ceremony was attended by the Regent of Malinau Regency, Dr. Yansen TP, M.Si and his government officials and the CEO of WWF Indonesia Foundation, Dr. Efransjah.

Some of the things that are the focus of this collaboration include equitable and low-emission district spatial planning; encouraging effective conservation practices and sustainable natural resource management; empowering communities based on socio-culture and local potential; promoting the development of ecotourism and payment schemes for environmental services; and implementing environmental awareness that leads to green lifestyles and environmentally sound development.

In his speech Dr. Efransjah, CEO of WWF Indonesia expressed his appreciation "This is a matter of pride for Malinau Regency which has made its area the second conservation district in Indonesia and is still committed to maintaining it". Malinau Regency is one of WWF Indonesia's priority working areas in Kalimantan Island. "WWF Indonesia will continue to cooperate and be friendly with Malinau Regency to implement the main objectives of conservation and green development in the region," he continued.

The Regent of Malinau, Dr. Yansen TP, M.Si, in his speech said that the cooperation with WWF Indonesia is very appropriate because it is in accordance with the vision and mission of the regency which is committed to the conservation of the region. Furthermore, he said, "It is hoped that this MoU will further strengthen the cooperation between the two institutions in building a stronger collaboration for the welfare of the people of Malinau. The current MoU will not stop here but will continue at various times and opportunities, especially those related to environmental conservation."

The cooperation agreement in realizing sustainable development in Malinau Regency together with WWF Indonesia has started during the signing of the first MoU in 2008. Malinau Regency is one of the regencies located in the "Heart of Borneo" (HoB) region and plays an important role as the upstream of several rivers in North Kalimantan Province. Malinau district is also the meeting point of the three largest and most important forest landscapes in the HoB region, namely: Kayan Mentarang National Park, Berung Kerihun National Park and Muller Schwanner Ecological Area, which form a unified ecological corridor.