France captivated Ecosystem Restoration

Want a better understanding of Indonesia's efforts to prevent deforestation and tackle climate change in the forestry sector, France's Ambassador for Climate Change, Brice Lalonde, visited Hope Rainforest in Jambi, Friday-Monday, 13-16 February. In ecosystem restoration, Brice view directly location of the nursery seedlings, and observation of forest typology Harapan Rainforest, and the ecosystem of the lake at the rear base camp.

According to Lalonde, Indonesia has the potential to become the first country, besides Brazil and the countries in Africa that will receive funds from the scheme Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD), as a business handling climate change issues. However, the REDD scheme still requires agreement from many countries. there are some countries that still have not agreed to provide funding through the REDD scheme. However, France and the countries that joined the European Union have agreed to participate and progressive support of REDD to prevent deforestation.

"France supports the efforts to help Indonesia develop a comprehensive REDD scheme. The goal only two, namely, capacity building and provide practical experience and lessons to be drawn from REDD, "said Brice.

During his time at Harapan Rainforest, a former French environment minister is accompanied by a team from the French development agency Agence Française de Développement or (AFD). Consisting of the Country Director AFD Jakarta, Denis Loyer, AFD's Director of Technical Department, Thierry Liabastre, and Forestry Expert, Thierry Liabastre and staff Jambi Forestry Agency, Word Ruswandi. The delegation was accompanied by Managing Director of Bird Indonesian, Agus Budi Utomo.

In Hope Rainforest, there are currently approximately 37 thousand seedlings, among others, meranti, Bulian, marpayang, durian forests, and other tree species. "Seeds are ready to grow crops or overgrown, we have planted on lands that are not productive," said Staff Nursery Harapan Rainforest, Eco Krisna.

After seeing nurseries, Brice in the entourage went bird watching activities, see the restoration demonstration plot, watching the lake ecosystem, and look at artificial nests for hornbills. During Birdwatching is about two hours more, had encountered Srigunting birds, woodpeckers, and cucak kangkok. To help improve the reproduction of hornbills, has placed twenty-made nest in the forest. Artificial nest material was made of zinc, plastic and wooden drums.

Natural regeneration

In addition to artificial nests, at some point locations, according to Agus, also mounted a camera trap. Cameras mounted on the track animals in the forest. Some wildlife species have been recorded, among others, deer, pigs, Napu, doves, and monkeys. Installation of these cameras are part of the Harapan Rainforest research on animal life in the area of ecosystem restoration.

While watching the birds, when the route along the former logging road, Agus explained that there has been a natural regeneration process of natural forest. "The road that we passed earlier this very open. However, after we implement ecosystem restoration condition began to improve and green. Shrubs and plants have lived beginner, before other trees grow larger, "said Agus.

Before leaving base camp Harapan Rainforest, Sunday, February 15, Brice and three colleagues meranti tree planting flowers (Shore leprosula) in ecosystem restoration demonstration plot. The founder of the French Green Party, said that Indonesia had made progress dealing with and preventing the destruction of forests. However, he acknowledged the treatment was not easy, because the area to be monitored and monitored so vast.

The challenge is so great that Brice indicated by quoting the famous poet of France, Chateaubriand. Les forêts prêcêdênt les Hommes. Les Deserts les suivent. Heureusement Harapan Rainforest mentir la va Faire Maxime!. That is, forests exist before humans. Deserts follow humans. But Harapan Rainforest hopefully vice versa.

The next day Brice Lalonde, AFD team, and received the Governor of Jambi Indonesia Bird Zulfifli Nurdin at his official residence. At the meeting, Zulkifli explained his vision of energy and natural resource management in Jambi. The governor also hoped that the Business License-Timber Forest Product Utilization Ecosystem Restoration (IUPHHK-RE) in the Province of dipimpinya immediately issued by the Department of Forestry. Governor accompanied by the Head of the Jambi Forestry, Aquaculture. (Praminto Moehayat / Birds of Indonesia)

Rescued by Prince Charles

The people in Jambi and South Sumatra had an end-of-year surprise. None other than Prince Charles, the heir to the throne of Great Britain, visited Harapan Rainforest which straddles the border between Jambi and South Sumatra.

Prince Charles is one of the global public figures who cares about the fate of tropical forests. He has followed with interest the developments in issues such as deforestation and global climate change.

The events leading up to the visit of the Prince can be traced back to the year 2002 when Burung Indonesia, an Indonesian bird and habitat conservation organization, proposed the "crazy idea" of managing a production forest (a forest that should have been logged) for the purposes of restoration and conservation.

There had been strong concerns that the rich biodiversity of Indonesia^,s tropical rainforests was decreasing at an alarming rate.

The forests that are most under threat of clearance are those in the lowlands including the lowlands of Sumatra. Ironically, according to Burung Indonesia^,s own studies, Sumatra^,s lowland forest is amongst the richest in the world in terms of the number of species it contains.

About 626 species of birds are found there, as well as tiger, elephant, tapir and sun bear.

The concept of managing a concession for forest restoration was the result of a long and ever-changing discussion. It was clear that even conservation areas such as national parks were failing to protect the lowland forests from widespread illegal logging, and as such, creation of new conservation areas would not automatically help to reduce deforestation.

The concept of restoration was so new that many regarded Burung Indonesia^,s proposal as strange and questioned whether it would ever work. Another problem was that there was no legal precedent, and no such thing as a license for management of production forests for restoration thus without cutting trees.

It is very encouraging that there was no shortage of enthusiasm, including full support from the Forest Ministry. As a result, that great but difficult dream has gradually become a reality. Beginning with a campaign to save Sumatra^,s tropical rainforests at the British Birdwatching Fair in Aug. 2002, the ecosystem restoration initiative which had at times appeared impossible began to gain support from people around the world. Worldwide partners of BirdLife International agreed to join the Sumatran Rainforest campaign. Friends in the UK, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Holland put together what resources they could to provide critical funding to get the campaign and the concession off the ground.

Just as important has been the support of the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles. He held a reception at his official residence, Clarence House in London, in 2004 to give a boost to the Sumatra initiative which was by then known as the "ecosystem restoration area". The result was exceptional the Prince^,s backing encouraged support for the initiative from all corners of the world.

One of the highlights was when the Forestry Minister issued the first ever "License for Management of a Production Forest for Ecosystem Restoration" in Aug. 2007.

The area identified for restoration was a production forest covering 101,000 hectares on the border between Jambi and South Sumatra. The license was presented to PT Restorasi Ekosistem Indonesia, a company created to hold the license by the BirdLife consortium - Burung Indonesia, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and BirdLife International.

The first action of the new management was to stop the logging that had been going on in the forest. This action will be continued until the natural balance of the ecosystem has been restored.

Prince Charles shared the dream when he supported this initiative in 2004. Now that dream must be seen through to its final conclusion. The support of the Prince shown by his visit to the ecosystem restoration area will inspire the people who are developing and managing this concession - and those who are hoping to create more restoration concessions in Indonesia - to put even greater efforts into attaining their goal in the country rich with endemic bird areas.(Rachma Tri Widuri/Burung Indonesia)

The writer is a conservation activist, active in Burung Indonesia

Source: The Jakarta Post

Ecosystem Restoration in Indonesia, Effective Ways of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation Forest Production

JAKARTA, INDONESIA BIRD-Ecosystem Restoration has been regarded as an effective way of reducing emissions from deforestation in natural forest production. Through ecosystem restoration projects in production forests, the natural forest has been degraded can be given a chance to recover, remain a natural forest, and deforestation can be avoided. This at least suggests the time of the Ecosystem Restoration Program reception at Harapan Rainforest organized by the Ministry of Forestry and PT Indonesian Ecosystem Restoration (Harapan Rainforest) at Hotel Mulia Jakarta, on Friday night, June 18, 2010.

Minister of Forestry Zulkifli Hasan convey, "Currently there are no other options for Indonesia unless the restoration of forest through activities such as tree planting and maintenance, rehabilitation and restoration of natural forest ecosystems in production." Forestry Minister to open vast opportunities for license restoration, which permit utilization and restoration of natural forest ecosystems in the area logged. Priority restoration is the primary forests of Sumatra are high levels of biodiversity. "Restoration of this year must be at least 300,000 hectares (ha). We expect applicants for serious restoration work plan clear. Do not just ask, and then abandoned their forests, "Zulkifli said in a speech at the reception.

Ecosystem Restoration Through the national policy, two provinces in Sumatra Island of South Sumatra and Jambi, has initiated efforts to save natural forests to national and global interests with the forest ecosystem restoration projects in Indonesia's first production. Ecosystem restoration area named Harapan Rainforest is the innovation of sustainable forest management and a hope for efforts to preserve natural lowland forest in Sumatra.

One of the priority of the Ministry of Forestry 2009-2014 program is to increase productivity and production of natural forest management, one of which is done by the issuance of business permits timber forest product utilization through ecosystem restoration in the logged forest or logs over an area of 2.5 million ha. The program also will support other policy priorities such as biodiversity conservation, community development around forests, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Ecosystem restoration initiative in the provinces need to set an example that a good national policy can be a stimulus for strategic development of forest management at the local level. This initiative is an Indonesian initiative supported by various parties. Executive Head, Harapan Rainforest, Cahyadin Yusuf said, "Restoring the natural forest ecosystems is of paramount importance to proceed, especially in connection with efforts to reduce emissions from the forestry sector."

The Government is committed to reducing national emissions by 26% by 2020 through various program priorities, especially in the Ministry of Forestry, including mitigation and adaptation to climate change in the forestry sector. Restoration of ecosystems is an important part that can contribute in reducing emissions from the forestry sector.

Indonesian Bird appreciated the efforts to restore natural forest ecosystems through restoration Harapan Rainforest is made possible with support from the Ministry of Forestry, through policies that favor the recovery of natural forest. Therefore, "Bird Indonesia will continue its efforts to restore natural forests in the area of production forests through restoration of ecosystems," as presented by the Managing Director of Bird Indonesian, Agus Budi Utomo. Indonesian Bird also called for continuing work on the restoration of natural forest ecosystems to the wider region, especially in the Wallacea region or the eastern part of Indonesia, such as Pohuwato District, Gorontalo province on Sulawesi island, which has a unique and important diversity in the functioning of production forests.

Harapan Rainforest, which are in the province of South Sumatra and Jambi is the first initiative of ecosystem restoration efforts in Indonesia, which aims to create a brighter future for forests, biodiversity, and human communities by linking local, national conservation organizations and government; protection, restoration and ensure sustainability of the 100,000 hectares of lowland rain forest habitat in Sumatra, and provides a model of restoration to assist and encourage similar initiatives in Indonesia and elsewhere.

Bird-member consortium BirdLife Indonesia, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and BirdLife International, managing through PT Harapan Rainforest Ecosystem Restoration Indonesia (Reki). Harapan Rainforest management rights to have been granted for 100 years to PT Reki / BirdLife Consortium. (Bird Indonesia / Fahrul Amama)

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