Community Logging in the Buffer Zone of Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan, Indonesia

by Harvard University Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology

Partners:

Harvard University Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology (LTFE) Government of Indonesia, Ministry of Forestry (GoI-MoF) Local Community Groups

1997 Update

In 1997 the project made the most progress not in the field -- but in the offices of the Ministry of Forestry (MoF). After painfully slow progress working out cooperative arrangements for implementing the project with the Ministry in 1996, we are now almost there. We approach the final approval slowly, not from a lack of government support, but as a result of the meticulous attention given the project by the Directorate General of Forest Utilization within the MoF. This project will serve as a pilot project for communitybased forestry activities, and may well be replicated in the future. In light of these policy implications, the due prudence given the project seems appropriate.

Local governments remain supportive of the project, and now they are increasingly anxious to begin field activities. Recent elections and political shuffling have brought in a new cadre of officials, but so far their commitment seems as genuine as that of their predecessors. Community members remain ready to begin as soon as possible, and have expressed concern at current illegal activities, particularly encroachment by outside parties.

Successes and Challenges

"OK...So What?"

WHY BIODIVERSITY   FIELD STORIES   PARTICIPATE   RESULTS   MARKETSPACE ABOUT THE NETWORK   WHAT'S NEW   LEARNING MATERIALS   SEARCH   LINKS   SITE MAP   HOME