West Kalimantan Provincial Government and CFES Collaborate to Realize Sustainable Social Forestry

Pontianak –  The Provincial Government of West Kalimantan and Community Forest Ecosystem Services (CFES) have officially formed a partnership focused on sustainable community-based forest management and supporting forestry development programs, particularly the advancement of social forestry in West Kalimantan Province. This collaboration was formalized through the signing of a joint agreement on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, by Adi Yani, Head of the West Kalimantan Environmental and Forestry Service, and Eka Muliawati Putri, Acting Chairperson of the CFES Board of Management, for a duration of five years.

The signing took place alongside the annual coordination meeting of the West Kalimantan Social Forestry Working Group (Pokja PS). The meeting discussed strategic steps to accelerate and enhance the implementation of social forestry programs in the region. It also included presentations on the latest policies, group discussions, experience sharing from various social forestry sites, and the issuance of Social Forestry Permit Decrees (SK Izin Perhutanan Sosial) to several forest management institutions in West Kalimantan.

The coordination meeting also served as the launching event for the Biodiversity Profile Document and the Draft Master Plan for Biodiversity Management in West Kalimantan Province. The event was opened by Dr. Harrison, M.Kes, acting Governor of West Kalimantan, and attended by representatives from provincial government agencies, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s technical units, academics, NGOs, private sector actors, and other stakeholders.

This collaboration between the West Kalimantan Provincial Government and CFES is a vital step towards achieving sustainable forest management. Through this synergy, the partnership aims to improve the welfare of local communities through community-based forest management, conserve biodiversity as an invaluable ecological asset, and reduce the impacts of climate change.

CFES commits to actively supporting the social forestry program by providing technical assistance and mentoring to Social Forestry Groups, particularly in several areas of West Kalimantan, while continuously encouraging the active participation of communities and other stakeholders as key drivers of social forestry success.