LPHD Telaga Officially Enters an Independent Phase: Five Years of Monitoring and Program Closure Mark a New Chapter in Community Forest Management

Telaga, Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan – The Telaga Village Forest Management Institution (LPHD Telaga), together with Community Forest Ecosystem Services (CFES), conducted the Telaga Village Forest Program Monitoring alongside the official closure of facilitation provided by Tim Layanan Kehutanan Masyarakat (TLKM) on 3–4 June 2026. The event marked an important milestone to evaluate the achievements of five years of support while celebrating LPHD Telaga's transition toward more independent, professional, and sustainable management of its Village Forest.

Supported through Wilmar International's Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) scheme, the program has strengthened LPHD Telaga's institutional capacity since 2021. Over the past two years, TLKM, as CFES's implementing partner, provided intensive facilitation to strengthen organizational governance, financial and administrative management, the development of Social Forestry Business Groups (Kelompok Usaha Perhutanan Sosial/KUPS), and community empowerment, enabling the community to independently manage the Village Forest beyond the facilitation period.

Held at the Telaga Village Community Hall, the event brought together representatives from CFES, LPHD Telaga, the Telaga Village Government, KUPS Toga Barigas, the Indigenous Community Group, the Youth Organization (Karang Taruna), the Village Forest Patrol Team, village facilitators, the Regional Center for Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership (BPSKL) Kalimantan, and the Forest Management Unit (KPHP).

The monitoring aimed to assess and document the achievements, challenges, and lessons learned throughout the five-year facilitation period; ensure that administrative and financial management systems continue to meet standards of transparency and accountability; strengthen the understanding of roles and responsibilities among LPHD and KUPS members; and identify field-level challenges to inform long-term sustainability strategies.

Five Years of Building a Strong Institutional Foundation

Telaga Village Forest is one of the Social Forestry areas in Central Kalimantan, officially recognized under the Minister of Environment and Forestry Decree No. SK.1228/MENLHK-PSKL/PKPS/PSL.0/3/2018, covering approximately 2,785 hectares. Under this mandate, LPHD Telaga is responsible for conserving the forest while enhancing sustainable economic opportunities for local communities.

Over the past five years, the program has focused on strengthening LPHD's institutional capacity, improving leadership and management skills, establishing sound administrative and financial systems, enhancing transparent management of PES funds, and supporting community-based enterprises through KUPS. The program has also encouraged greater community participation in forest conservation by involving Indigenous groups, the Village Forest Patrol Team, Karang Taruna, and other beneficiary groups.

Reflecting on Five Years of Learning

A key component of the event was a participatory reflection session involving all beneficiary groups. Representatives from LPHD, the Village Government, Indigenous groups, Karang Taruna, the Patrol Team, and KUPS Toga Barigas shared the progress they had achieved, the benefits they had experienced, the challenges they faced, and the lessons they learned throughout the program.

The discussions highlighted improvements in institutional governance, human resource capacity, community enterprise development, administrative and reporting systems, and broader community participation in managing Telaga Village Forest. The reflections demonstrated that institutional strengthening not only resulted in better organizational systems but also fostered a stronger sense of community ownership over the Village Forest as a shared asset.

In addition to reviewing achievements, participants collaboratively developed a sustainability plan to guide future activities after the facilitation period ended. The discussions focused on strengthening coordination among stakeholder groups, improving institutional capacity, expanding community enterprises, and exploring future collaboration with government agencies, the private sector, and development partners.

Post-Facilitation Challenges and Strategic Responses

The monitoring also identified several challenges that remain during LPHD Telaga's transition toward full independence. These include delays in PES fund reporting by some beneficiary groups, limited funding for constructing a permanent office and patrol post, and the need to strengthen internal coordination.

KUPS Toga Barigas identified the need for a more adequate production facility, improved production equipment, product certification, and additional tools to increase production capacity. Meanwhile, the Village Forest Patrol Team continues to face shortages of personnel, operational transportation, and access to forest areas. The Indigenous Community Group requires additional training in traditional talawang shield-making and woodworking equipment, while Karang Taruna needs improved sports facilities to support youth development. The Village Government also highlighted challenges related to validating social assistance beneficiaries and coordinating the timing of assistance distribution, which still depends on PES disbursement.

To address these challenges, participants agreed on several strategic actions. LPHD Telaga will strengthen administrative compliance by providing additional guidance to beneficiary groups, preparing detailed budgets for the construction of a permanent office and patrol post, and improving internal coordination and public communication. KUPS Toga Barigas will accelerate product certification while exploring opportunities for creative economy support through the Social Forestry Agency.

The Indigenous Community Group will organize talawang-making training for younger generations to preserve local cultural heritage. The Patrol Team will strengthen personnel management and improve operational planning, while Karang Taruna will develop shared funding mechanisms to support youth programs. The Village Government will optimize alternative financing through a cost-sharing mechanism, while preparing more comprehensive budgets and transparent beneficiary criteria to ensure that future support is distributed fairly and effectively.

Field Visit to KUPS Activities

On the second day, the monitoring team visited the KUPS Toga Barigas demonstration plot and production facility. The assessment concluded that existing infrastructure is sufficient to support current production activities, although additional equipment is still required to improve efficiency and expand production capacity.

The team also visited the nursery area, where various medicinal plants (TOGA – Family Medicinal Plants) are cultivated as the primary raw materials for products developed by KUPS. This initiative is expected to strengthen community enterprises while promoting the sustainable utilization of non-timber forest products.

A Shared Commitment to Sustainability

The event concluded with participants sharing their reflections on the five-year facilitation process. Beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the support provided by CFES and TLKM, highlighting improvements in institutional capacity, organizational governance, community enterprise development, and increased confidence in independently managing Village Forest programs. Participants also expressed their hope that the partnerships established during the program would continue to support the long-term development of Telaga Village Forest.

The closing ceremony also included the distribution of PES funds to beneficiary groups according to the agreed allocation mechanism. These payments serve as incentives for communities in recognition of their commitment to conserving forest ecosystems while supporting local economic and social development initiatives.

Moving forward, LPHD Telaga will submit monthly implementation reports to the CFES Kalimantan Program Coordinator as part of the post-facilitation monitoring system. Field monitoring will also continue every six months to assess institutional development, identify emerging challenges, and ensure that Village Forest management remains transparent, accountable, and sustainable.

The conclusion of the facilitation period does not mark the end of the Telaga Village Forest Program; rather, it represents the beginning of a new chapter in community-based forest management. With stronger institutional foundations, continued stakeholder support, and the community's spirit of collaboration, LPHD Telaga is expected to continue safeguarding the ecological functions of the forest while generating lasting social and economic benefits for local communities.

Continued Support for LPHD Telaga

As part of the program's follow-up, on 5 June 2026 CFES also held a discussion with the Regional Center for Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership (BPSKL) Kalimantan to present the achievements of the program implemented with LPHD Telaga. During the meeting, participants reviewed LPHD Telaga's current level of institutional independence, concluding that it had progressed sufficiently for intensive facilitation by village facilitators to be phased out. BPSKL also emphasized the importance of strengthening partnership governance in accordance with applicable regulations and expressed its commitment to exploring creative economy support for KUPS operating under LPHD Telaga.