Strengthening Governance and Transparency, CFES and LPHD Telaga Enhance Accountability in Village Forest Management

Telaga Village, 30–31 January 2026 — In an effort to strengthen sustainable, transparent, and equitable management of the Telaga Village Forest, Community Forest Ecosystem Services (CFES), in collaboration with the Telaga Village Forest Management Institution (LPHD Telaga), organized a series of activities consisting of a Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) Socialization and Training on Financial Administration and Public Information Dissemination.

The Telaga Village Forest is a social forestry area that has obtained legal status through the Decree of the Minister of Environment and Forestry No. SK.1228/MENLHK-PSKL/PKPS/PSL.0/3/2018 dated 20 March 2018, covering an area of 2,785 hectares. This area holds significant ecological and economic potential and represents a responsibility for LPHD Telaga to safeguard forest sustainability while promoting improved livelihoods for the village community.

As part of its commitment to strengthening community-based forest management, CFES supports LPHD Telaga through the disbursement of Payment for Environmental Services (PES) funds. These funds are designed to encourage independent, performance-based forest management grounded in sustainability principles. However, limited capacity in administrative and financial management, as well as public information dissemination, remains a key challenge for forest management groups at the local level.

Socialization of Achievements and Village Forest Management Plans

CFES Program Manager, Sri Wahyuni, stated that CFES’s involvement reflects its commitment to accompanying LPHD Telaga in optimizing program outcomes while ensuring accountability in the management of PES funds. She explained that the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) assessment mechanism for LPHD Telaga does not solely evaluate forest cover conditions, but also includes institutional performance and various on-the-ground management initiatives.

“The assessment results are not determined only by the quality of forest cover, but also by initiatives and the actual conditions of institutional implementation,” she emphasized.

Chairperson of LPHD Telaga, Ahmad Yani, affirmed that this socialization activity represents LPHD’s responsibility to openly convey information on program implementation to the Telaga Village community. Transparency in administrative and financial management, along with a focus on collective interests, is viewed as essential to ensuring that the benefits of PES funds are broadly felt.

Echoing this view, the Chairperson emphasized that transparency is a moral obligation. “Targeted work planning and accountable financial management are key to realizing tangible benefits for all residents of Telaga Village,” he stated.

Appreciation was also expressed by the Village Consultative Body (BPD). “As the BPD, we believe that the PES program in Telaga Village should serve as momentum to foster a spirit of togetherness among the community, especially PES beneficiaries, in implementing work plans supported by PES funds,” explained Berau.

The Head of Telaga Village, Tomie, also noted the importance of “optimizing PES fund support to strengthen the implementation of activities for the overall benefit of the Telaga Village community.”

Both leaders viewed PES funds as a strategic opportunity to strengthen social cohesion, increase community participation, and optimize the utilization of the Telaga Village Forest to support the village economy, including the development of women’s business groups.

During the presentation session, the Chairperson of LPHD Telaga outlined forest management achievements throughout 2025, including conservation, forest protection and security activities through patrols and boundary demarcation, MPTS planting and Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) maintenance, nursery development, utilization of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and the initiation of environmental service utilization through special-interest ecotourism. One significant achievement highlighted was the documentation of orangutan distribution areas as a key species within the Telaga Village Forest, underscoring the area’s importance in supporting ecological functions and biodiversity.

In addition to area management achievements, the realization of PES-funded work plans involving various village stakeholders was also presented. These included the Village Government, PKK (Family Welfare Movement), Karang Taruna (Youth Organization), and the Telaga Village Customary Institution, covering social programs, economic enterprise strengthening, and the provision of facilities and infrastructure to support community activities.

Financial Administration and Public Information Dissemination Training

The series of activities continued on 31 January 2026 with training on financial administration and reporting, as well as public information dissemination. CFES Kalimantan Coordinator, Alponsus Alpiadi, stated that the training aimed to strengthen the capacity of beneficiary groups in managing administration, finances, and activity publications in an orderly, transparent, and accountable manner.

“The substance of this training is fundamental for beneficiary groups to understand, particularly in relation to institutional administrative and financial management,” he explained.

It was also emphasized that administrative and financial management is one of the main indicators in KPI assessments that will influence the amount of PES funds received in subsequent periods. Furthermore, the ability to effectively compile and disseminate public information is expected to increase public support and participation in the management of the Telaga Village Forest.

During the training, participants received materials and financial administration recording templates from CFES Finance Manager, Dewi Susana, along with guidelines on public information management that can be applied sustainably, both for managing PES funds and other funding sources.

Recognizing the importance of public communication, participants were also equipped with skills in information and content management. CFES Data Management and Communication Coordinator (MEPK), Gede Tragya, explained that forest managers need to be able to package field data into engaging and easily understood information through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other digital channels.

“We want beneficiaries to be able to disseminate knowledge about forest management to stakeholders effectively. With good communication, public support will increase,” he explained.

Through this training, LPHD Telaga is expected not only to achieve administrative order to ensure accountability, but also to be capable of voicing their forest management achievements to the public. CFES also conducted direct monitoring to ensure that the utilization of PES funds remains aligned with forest conservation principles and collective welfare.

Towards Independent and Sustainable Village Forest Management

Through the two-day series of activities, CFES and LPHD Telaga hope to realize a Village Forest management system that is increasingly independent, accountable, and transparent. Strengthening administrative and financial governance, enhancing public communication capacity, and conducting systematic monitoring of program implementation are essential foundations to ensure that PES fund utilization remains aligned with forest conservation principles and the sustainable improvement of the welfare of the Telaga Village community.