DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL ENTERPRISES    GUNUNG HALIMUN NATIONAL PARK, WEST JAVA, INDONESIA

PARTNERS Biological Science Club (BScC) Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry McDonald's-Indonesia Wildlife Preservation Trust International (WPTI) University of Indonesia BCN GRANT $448,430 1 December 1995 through 31 December 1998
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & INCOME GENERATION The Gunung Halimun National Park (GHNP) Consortium, comprised of the partners listed above, are working to establish a community-managed tourist business. Thus far, project staff and community members have: Built guest houses at the Park's northern, eastern and southern entrances; Offered a range of tourist services, including guest house lodging, local food preparation, camping, and guided treks; Developed a small, bamboo-based handicraft enterprise; and Trained local community members in management, record-keeping, guiding and other tourism-related skills. Project staff are also putting substantial energy into marketing GHNP as an attractive ecotourism destination. The target market is primarily middle class Indonesian and expatriate residents of Jakarta and Bogor, as well as, university and high school students and foreign tourists looking for a nearby respite from the city. In 1997, about 540 people visited GHNP using the services offered by this project. Projected Revenues 1998 # Direct Beneficiaries 1998 North: $1,811 52 East:  $3,430 32 South: $1,550 35 MONITORING Both socioeconomic and biological monitoring programs are being implemented at each site to determine the enterprise's impact. Key indicator species and water quality testing are just two of the methods being used. Below is an estimate of the area where the project expects to have an affect, and the number of people in the immediately surrounding villages. Site Total Area Managed Area Population North 7,000ha 2,000ha 2,325 East 8,000ha 2,000ha 5,493 South 6,000ha 2,000ha 4,534 The challenge is to ensure, through monitoring, that the enterprise does not exceed the Park's and communities' "carrying capacity", as has happened at other nearby, heavily visited Parks.	BIOLOGICAL FEATURES OF GHNP The 40,000ha GHNP is the largest remaining, original lowland forest in Java. It is home to 23 observed species of mammals, 156 bird species, and more than 500 plant species. This includes endemic and endangered species like the Javan Gibbon, Grizzled Langur, and Javan Hawk Eagle. THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY Commercial (e.g., a vast tea plantation was just permitted to expand by 50ha in the Park) and subsistence agriculture. Illegal collection of timber and non-timber products from the Park for fuelwood and building materials. Small and medium-scale gold mining. Infrastructure (e.g., recently proposed road through GHNP). At least 40 plant species within GHNP are used, primarily for foods and traditional medicine, by communities living within and around the Park. GHNP is a vital watershed for West Java and, particulary, the large cities of Jakarta and Bogor, where flooding and access to water resources have become perennial problems. CURRENT & POTENTIAL POLICY IMPACTS Permits were obtained from local government officials for small-enterprise development and infrastructure-building both within and outside Park boundaries; Regulations and zoning arrangements were made with community members to allow for local management of the enterprise, but not restrictions on expanding agricultural areas into the Park; Park officials and a large, multi-national company are actively participating in a recognized Consortium with NGOs, University researchers and foreign donors for an integrated Park management plan. The project and Consortium could act as a deterrent to future construction projects within Park boundaries. OTHER PROJECT FEATURES Villages at each site are creating or already utilizing existing community development and conservation funds using, in part, revenue from the guest houses. GHNP Field Managers have been living and working with communities at each of the 3 sites. The indigenous Kasepuhan in the southern part -- and in enclave communities within Park boundaries -- represent a unique cultural element to the project
CONTACT INFORMATION GHNP Consortium Project Office: P.O. Box 7293 JSPM, Jakarta 12072, Indonesia; Phone/fax: 62-251-336-886; E-mail BScC@indo.net.id BCN (Jakarta Office): Jl. Madium No. 3, Menteng, Jakarta 10320, Indonesia; Phone/Fax: 62-21-392-6584; E-Mail bcordes@cbn.net.id

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