Biodiversity Baseline – Lemmanis Village Forest

Lemmanis Village Forest (HD), located in Sepakat Jaya Village, Nanga Tayap District, West Kalimantan, is a lowland rainforest with high ecological value. This forest has a hilly topography with an altitude range of 50-450 meters above sea level and consists of two separate protected forests, namely the Batu Menangis Protected Forest (western block) and the Lembuding Protected Forest (eastern block), with a total area of 6,967 hectares. As an important habitat for diverse flora and fauna, as well as a source of clean water for the surrounding community, the Lemmanis Village Forest plays a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem balance.

A biodiversity survey conducted in Lemmanis Village Forest recorded 180 species of fauna, consisting of 40 species of mammals, 98 species of avifauna, and 42 species of herpetofauna (22 species of amphibians and 20 species of reptiles), as well as 133 species of flora. Of all the species recorded, 100 species (66 fauna species and 34 flora species) are classified as High Conservation Value (HCV) 1 species, which are species that are threatened with extinction, protected, and/or have a limited distribution (endemic). Therefore, it is important to determine conservation priorities and ensure that these species are protected from the threat of extinction.

Some examples of HCV 1 species include the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) and various types of herpetofauna endemic to Kalimantan. There is also the blue-crested cockatoo (Erythropitta arquata), one of five species endemic to Kalimantan. In addition to fauna, the survey also found plant species included in the HCV 1 category, including the Red Meranti (Shorea brunnescens) and Bengkirai Babi (Anthoshorea lamellata), which are classified as Endangered (EN).

The biodiversity survey in the Lemmanis Village Forest was conducted using various scientific methods such as Line Transect, Recce Walk, Index Point of Abundance (IPA), Visual Encounter Survey (VES), and Forest Plot Inventory. The results of this survey clearly show that the Lemmanis Village Forest has high biodiversity, covering a wide variety of flora and fauna. These findings underscore the importance of the Lemmanis Village Forest as a habitat for biodiversity and the need for sustainable conservation efforts to protect this valuable ecosystem.