In order to introduce the Integrated Program for Tiger and Habitat Conservation in the Rimbang Baling landscape, the Ministry of Forestry, WWF, YAPEKA and Indecon conducted a workshop in Pekanbaru on 19-20 October 2015. The workshop was attended by stakeholders from related agencies, companies and community representatives around Bukit Rimbang Baling. It also sought input on the plan to establish a Rimbang Baling collaboration forum as a platform for the long-term protection of Bukit Rimbang Baling and community livelihoods.

Rimbang Baling is an important Sumatran tiger habitat located in Kampar and Kuantan Singingi regencies and directly adjacent to West Sumatra. The topography of the area is mostly hilly with a slope of 25-100%. Various rare flora and fauna diversity are found in this area. However, several forms of threats overshadow the integrity of this area, including encroachment, illegal logging, protected animal hunting and others. Part of this area, located in Kampar and Kuantan Singingi Regencies, is a wildlife reserve with an area of ± 136,000 ha.

Head of Technical Division-BBKSDA Riau, Lukita Awang in his presentation conveyed the limitations to secure the Rimbang Baling area which is included in the wildlife reserve. "We only have three forest rangers to guard the reserve," Awang said." To overcome these limitations, BBKSDA Riau since the beginning of this year has embraced local communities to become Community Partners of Polhut to help secure the area.

Sunarto from WWF-Indonesia said that to support the effective management of the Bukit Rimbang Baling landscape together with YAPEKA, Indecon designed an integrated program for the management of Sumatran tigers and their habitat. He explained that this program focuses on direct community involvement in conservation efforts and improving community welfare. The consortium's program, named Imbau, comes from the local language of the Rimbang Baling community, which means inviting all parties to be involved in conservation efforts and maintaining the local values of the community, especially around Rimbang Baling.

Responding to the initiation of collaboration between parties for the protection of natural resources in Rimbang Baling, Siti Khadijah from the Directorate of Nature Conservation Management and Information - Ministry of Environment and Forestry said that the collaboration forum that will be formed later is a forum for communication of all stakeholders to achieve the goal of effective management of Rimbang Baling.

He added that the principle of collaboration must be mutual respect, appreciation, trust and provide benefits for all parties because collaboration is based on mutual awareness to realize the same vision and mission.

He explained that there was a successful example in Gunung Halimun National Park where the community was involved in the development of ecotourism. However, he emphasized that to ensure the success of a program, intensive assistance from NGOs is needed because the authority has limitations.

During the workshop, many inputs were submitted by the community which broadly emphasized that the Rimbang Baling community supports the efforts made for the protection of Rimbang Baling by considering the welfare of the community.

One of the participants, Abdul Majid from Pangkalan Serai Village, Kampar Kiri Hulu Sub-district, Kampar stated, "I live in Pangkalan Serai Village, the most remote village in Rimbang Baling, we have always protected this forest because this is where we live. If our forest is damaged, the people who live downstream will be affected."

Representing other village representatives, Abdul Majid stated that collaboration is like a broomstick, that is, if we do it together, it will be clean. Likewise, in collaboration in Rimbang Baling, he emphasized that it must provide benefits to the community and be fair, otherwise it will not be supported by the Rimbang Baling community.

Sharp criticism during the workshop from community representatives regarding the integrated tiger and habitat conservation program plan in Rimbang Baling became input for the implementation of this program in the future. The Imbau program, supported by IUCN, KFW and the German government, will last for 4 years.

Agustinus Wijayanto from YAPEKA conveyed that the Imbau program includes facilitation of renewable energy, for example from bio gas and micro hydro, agro forestry, ecotourism and optimization of community rubber plantations. All of these programs aim to improve the economy of the community around Rimbang Baling with the active role of the community for the protection of the Rimbang Baling ecosystem.

He added that in the process the community will be involved and if there are programs or activities that are not approved by the community, they will be discussed to find activities that are most suitable for the local community.

The workshop was closed by the Secretary of Kampar Kiri Hulu Sub-District, Hendri with the hope that this program can be implemented well and supported by the community.