By Sri Jimmy Kustini

Sendawar (30/04) Every April the community of Linggang Melapeh, Linggang Bigung Subdistrict, West Kutai Regency commemorates the anniversary of the village. Various activities such as traditional ritual events at Mount Eno, traditional Dayak food cooking competitions and traditional sports competitions including logo competitions, gasing, climbing gerapai, and chopsticks were held to enliven the anniversary of the village of Linggang Melapeh. At the peak of the event, a traditional dance performance was held and the establishment of the Gunung Eno forest protected area.

This year, on its 97th anniversary, the Linggang Melapeh community received a sweet gift, namely the establishment of Mount Eno as a protected area. The designation was marked by the signing of an inscription and the unveiling of the area's nameplate by West Kutai Regent Ismail Thomas on April 26, 2012 in Linggang Melapeh village.

The Regent of West Kutai in his speech expressed his appreciation and salute for the awareness and concern of the community in maintaining and preserving the forest area in their village and hoped that other villages in West Kutai could emulate what the people of Linggang Melapeh had done. "I am proud to be part of the big family of Linggang Melapeh," he added.

The event was also attended by West Kutai DPRD Member Jackson Jhon Tawi, Linggang Bigung Sub-District Head Adi Wijaya, several heads of departments and agencies as well as hundreds of local residents.

Project Leader WWF-Indonesia West Kutai Program Arif Data Kusuma welcomed the encouraging news. Through the community conservation forest area (CCA/Community Conserved Areas) program that has been intensified for 2 years, WWF provides community assistance for the management and conservation of the Gunung Eno forest area. Starting from the CCA survey, training and assistance in making village regulations for community conservation forest management in the Gunung Eno area, to biodiversity inventory.

"The establishment of the Mount Eno protected area is the first step and the sweet fruit of the CCA program assistance. In the future, it is also necessary to strengthen community institutions and strengthen cooperation between the local community and local government and other institutions for the management of existing CCA forest areas," he added.

Yudi Hermawan, a village official from Linggang Melapeh, revealed that efforts to conserve and protect the 90-hectare Gunung Eno forest area have been outlined in the Village Regulation and a management institution was formed, where the management consists of elements of the community from Linggang Melapeh. The Village Regulation has also been presented to the relevant agencies in the district. In fact, this village regulation is also strengthened through a decree and area designation by the Regent of West Kutai.

Meanwhile, according to the Chairman of the Anniversary Committee of Linggang Melapeh Village, Amiruddin, the establishment of Gunung Eno forest protected area by the Regent of West Kutai is a series of village anniversary activities and in line with the theme of the 2012 anniversary, "With the Spirit of Mutual Cooperation, Let Us Realize Linggang Melapeh Village into a Tourist Destination Village."

"The confirmation of this protected area motivates us to make Linggang Melapeh village a tourist destination, especially nature tourism in West Kutai," he said. .

Through cooperation and support from all parties and especially WWF, the Gunung Eno forest area in the future will be developed into a natural, cultural and environmental education tourism area. School children and students can use it as a place to learn about forest ecology and biodiversity. Near the Mount Eno area there are also Aco lakes, waterfalls, munaan or old community gardens that have cultural, conservation and educational values.