by Nina Nuraisyiah

The implementation of village forests aims to improve community welfare in a sustainable manner and ensure environmental sustainability. Village forests are legally still under the rule of state legislation, but in practice the management is left to the autonomy of the village concerned. The village forest practice is one of the implementations of the Heart of Borneo (HoB) program which is in accordance with the principles of sustainable development and conservation.

Karuing Village, a village in the vicinity of Sebangau National Park, located in Katingan District, Central Kalimantan, which is one of the districts in the HoB area, took the initiative to turn no less than 30 hectares of its area into a village forest. "This desire arose because the village has a need for the availability of wood raw materials for the development process," explained Andi Liany, Head of Karuing Village. The area in question is in the buffer zone at the mouth of the Punggualas River bordering the national park protection zone, where conditions are always flooded during the rainy season and cause smoke when the long dry season arrives.

In the past, this area was a forest area that was widely used as a source of timber, both by companies and communities for the needs of building houses. Due to over-exploitation, in the late 80s the area was hit by catastrophic forest fires during the long dry season. As a result, tens of hectares of forest, which could have been a source of food for the many fish that live in this area, were left with only burnt stumps. Fish were hard to come by, the arid landscape stretched before the eyes.

This condition and concerns about the source of wood supply for future development in the Karuing Village area, and based on a joint decision with community members, Andi Liany collaborated with the Sebangau National Park Office and WWF Indonesia to reforest part of her village area. "The hope is that in the future, the village will have guaranteed forest resources from the village forest," continued the village head who is familiarly called Lili. To ensure that forest and land fires do not occur again, village forest management will be regulated in a village regulation. The Perdes will state when a tree can be cut down, for what purpose, and who cuts it down. "Perdes will also be made through a process of deliberation and consensus with all residents".

Mamun Ansori, WWF Indonesia field staff added, "In addition to timber sources, village forests can also be more beneficial for the development of fish life in the area". Tree roots can be a source of food, and the lush trees can be a good habitat for the breeding process of fish seeds into fish that are ready to be caught for consumption. The reforestation program with the Newtrees scheme is believed to bring many benefits. "In terms of community interests, they will have a village forest area, in terms of the environment, it guarantees that there will be no forest fires, and in terms of national park management, it will reduce the threat of encroachment on natural resources in the national park."