Visit to Pengasi Baru Village: Developments in the Management of the Biang Sari Customary Forest
October 2024
Pengasi Baru Village, Kerinci, recently held a meeting involving various stakeholders including CFES, Asian Agri, the Pengasi Baru local government, the Biang Sari Indigenous Forest Management Group (KPHA), Indigenous groups, women’s groups, and youth groups. This two-day meeting, held on October 8-9, 2024, aimed to evaluate the progress of Biang Sari Indigenous Forest management over the past two years.
In 2019, the community of Pengasi Baru Village, located in Bukit Kerman Subdistrict, Kerinci Regency, Jambi Province, received a management permit for the Biang Sari Indigenous Forest from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK). This permit marked a historic milestone in efforts to conserve the forest and improve the welfare of the Pengasi Baru community.
The daily life of the Pengasi Baru community heavily depends on the Biang Sari Indigenous Forest. The forest serves as their main water source, both for domestic use and agriculture. During the dry season, without the forest, the community would face difficulties obtaining clean water and their rice fields would dry up. Therefore, maintaining forest conservation is vital for their survival.
To balance environmental conservation and community welfare, the 175-hectare Biang Sari Indigenous Forest is divided into two main zones: a protection zone and a utilization zone. The protection zone plays a crucial role in preserving water resources, preventing erosion, and safeguarding the habitat of flora and fauna. Meanwhile, the utilization zone focuses on sustainable economic activities such as cultivating fruit trees, medicinal plants, and other non-timber forest products (NTFPs). This zoning ensures that the forest remains well-preserved while also providing economic benefits to the community.
The Pengasi Baru community, through the Biang Sari KPHA patrol team, has demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining the forest’s sustainability. The patrol team regularly conducts monthly inspections to ensure the forest’s protection. Our visit alongside Asian Agri provided an opportunity to witness the thorough preparations undertaken by the team before starting their patrols. From briefings, checking personal gear, to preparing tools such as boundary markers and seedlings, everything was meticulously done to ensure the patrols run effectively.
CFES remains committed to supporting environmental conservation through sustainable and collaborative programs.