Senepis - Progress Report
Building Collaboration Between Parties in the Senepis Landscape Through Restoration, Ecosystem Protection, and Community Welfare Improvement Efforts to Save the Landscape and for Sustainable Use
As of March 2019, for restoration efforts, we've planted a total of 32,500 seedlings spanning an area of 40.28 ha in the degraded areas of Batu Teritip Village and Basilam Baru Village with 2 (two) mangrove species —Mangrove Angkak (Rhizophora mucronata/Belukap), and Api - Api (Avicennia alba). We have also prepared 30,000 additional mangrove seedlings to be planted within an area of ± 332 ha in Basilam Baru Village, and 20,000 more to plant within an area of ± 700 ha in Batu Teritip Village.
We have also facilitated the community of Aceh Bangsal Village in greening their village by paludiculture —which also provide economic benefits. By the end of 2018, we've planted a total of 7,000 paludiculture plants (mahogany, agarwood, jackfruit, soursop, umbrella tree, chempedak) along the roads (about 4 km) of neighborhood (RT) 05-06 and on 2 ha of community-owned land. From our monitoring in March 2019, we've concluded that the plants are still in good condition, but some are experiencing slower than average growth rates. The slower than expected growth rates of some plants are caused by several factors, such as waterlogged land and weeds that grow around the panted forest plants.
We've also built two (2) canal blocking units in Bangsal Aceh Subdistrict. The construction of the canal blockings is to soak the peat areas and store water supply during the dry season in areas prone to fire. On March 19–22, 2019, we visited the canal blocking program location in Bangsal Aceh Subdistrict to monitor and review the construction of the canal blocks. There we also held discussions on the maintenance of canal blocks with the community.
In efforts to improve the community's welfrare through community empowerment programs, we try to explore the potential in the Mumugo Kepenghuluan and Rantau Bais areas while maintaining the sustainability and balance of the ecosystems in the area. We started by having a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) in mid-March 2019, aimed at exploring the potential of superior products and tourism in the Senepis ecosystem. The FGD concluded that the Kepenghuluan Mumugo and Rantau Bais's potential mostly come from agriculture with success rates of plants able to live according to its type are agarwood, 50%; mahogany, 60%; soursop, 45%; and jackfruit, 65%.
Pineapples also have great potential to become superior products, because on average, communities in this region, especially the Javanese and Medanese people already grow pineapple trees. An example of a product derived from pineapple is the "dodol nanas" (toffee-like sweet delicacy based on pineapple). The dodol nanas is produced by the majority of the Kepenghuluan Rantau Bais community and is an opportunity in improving the community's economic welfare.
As of March 2018, routine animal patrols are still being carried out routinely. Animal patrol activities are carried out by installing camera traps in PT. RUJ's concession forest to monitor wildlife activities, especially Sumatran tigers in the company's area. KARHUTLA (Forest and Land Fire) patrols to monitor and analyze land fires cases and illegal logging are also still being conducted.
