Forest management in Indonesia is undeniable in the spotlight of various parties from the local, national and global levels. There are several crucial and fundamental issues that have become the problem of forest management in Indonesia. Weak law enforcement, forest management institutional capacity at a weak site level, overlapping policies to tenure problems give birth to various kinds of multidimensional conflicts. The Bappenas analysis in 2010 showed that governance, spatial planning, tenure, forest management were the fundamental problems of forestry in Indonesia. Indonesia now needs to restore fair and sustainable forest governance.
Seeing these conditions, one of the government efforts that need to be done in improving forest governance by involving the participation of various parties. Increasing the transparency of forest management by the government also needs to be immediately implemented, arguing that the forest area is an area
managed by the state, so that the public also needs to know what is happening inside the forest area.
One of the efforts made by the Indonesian government to improve forest governance is to establish a system to guarantee the legality of timber and wood products and ensure sustainable forest management, known as the Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK). SVLK was established in a multi-stakeholder manner since 2002, and is currently regulated in PermenLHK No. 30 of 2016 and Perdirjen No, 14 of 2016. SVLK is one of the key elements in the implementation of the VPA FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade – Voluntary Partnership Agreements) between Indonesia and the European Union. The end result of this agreement is the application of the FLEGT License, where both parties can start legal timber trading schemes to reduce illegal logging and increase trade in legal timber.
Indonesia’s long struggle to obtain a FLEGT license is not in vain. On November 15, 2016, Indonesia can certainly begin the implementation of the FLEGT License scheme, where there are no objections to its implementation from the European Union. The credibility of the SVLK as a system of guaranteeing timber legality is highly dependent on how the system’s accountability and credibility is achieved. Independent Monitor is one of the main strengths of the SVLK in ensuring the credibility and accountability of the SVLK by monitoring.
At present, Independent Forestry Monitors are actively organizing monitoring activities in Indonesia, among others: the Independent Forest Monitoring Network (JPIK), Eyes on the Forest (EoF), the Alliance of Independent Forestry Observers in Sumatra (APIKS), the Center for Environmental and Forestry Education ( PPLH)
Mangkubumi, Indonesian Cakrawala Hijau Foundation (YCHI), Rural Development Study Institute (LSPP), AURIGA and Indonesia Center for Environmental Law (ICEL). The monitoring organizations are spread throughout all regions in Indonesia starting from Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua. Each of these monitoring institutions works based on their respective issues and ways, but remains a goal, namely to ensure that forest governance in Indonesia runs in accordance with existing laws and regulations and is responsible for community life and environmental sustainability.
With the implementation of this seminar and exhibition, it is expected that policy makers in particular and the wider community in general, can understand that in order to ensure good forest governance, there needs to be an involvement of independent monitors. In addition, by involving the wider community, it can encourage many more parties to participate in assisting forestry monitoring work, in order to achieve fair and sustainable forest governance in Indonesia.
Activity Goals
Demonstrate the readiness of Independent Forestry Monitors in order to support and create responsible and sustainable forest governance.
Objectives and Outputs of Activities
The purpose of conducting the Independent Monitoring Seminar and Exhibition is to:
- Introducing Independent Monitors to those interested in having an Independent Monitor
- Introducing monitoring methods and sharing experiences in monitoring
- Encourage commitment and support related to security monitoring
Identify opportunities for support for the sustainability of the monitoring process
Expected output from the implementation of the Independent Monitor Seminar and Exhibition include:
- Policy makers and parties related to forest governance know that the function of forest monitoring is one of the pillars for the creation of responsible and sustainable forest governance.
- Socialization of the Independent Forestry Monitoring organization to the wider community
- The involvement of members both individuals and organizations that have the potential to be involved in forestry monitoring activities.
Time and place of activity
The activities of the Independent Forestry Monitor Seminar and Exhibition will be held on August 30 – 31, 2016, at the Manggala Wanabakti Building Auditorium, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, in Jakarta.
Event organiser
This activity was carried out in collaboration between the Independent Forestry Monitoring organization in Indonesia. These organizations include:
- Forestry Independent Monitoring Network (JPIK)
- Eyes on The Forest (EoF)
- Alliance of Sumatra Independent Forestry Monitors (APIKS)
- Mangkubumi Center for Environmental Education (PPLH)
- Indonesian Green Horizon Foundation (YCHI)
- Institute for Rural Development Studies (LSPP)
- AURIGA
- Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL)
In its implementation, this activity was also supported by Multistakeholder Forestry Program (MFP), Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI), Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), and WWF Indonesia.
Agenda of activities
