Gita Buana Consortium - Progress Report
Community-Based Peatland Ecosystem Restoration Around Tanjung Community Forest in Berbak Sembilang
The progress of activities for the Community-based Peat Ecosystem Restoration Program in this period has reached completion (100%). We planted a total of 120,000 seedlings on approximately 300 hectares with a planting density of 400 stems/ha. Plants planted include swamp jelutong (Dyera polyphylla), Borneo Teaks (Intsia bijuga), candlenuts (Aleurites moluccana), cempedaks (Artocarpus integer), jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), durians (Durio zibethinus), and others. Due to parts of land that were flooded/swamped the estimated growth of the plants are 50 -60%.
To develop agriculture and farming, we have built four cattle pens in 3 villages: Gedong Karya Village, Sungai Aur Village, Simpang Village. We have also procured 10 cows for the three villages and distributed as follows: 3 cows for Sungai Aur Village, 3 cattle for Gedong Karya Village, and 4 cows for Simpang Village.
In February 2019, an environmental education activity was held for the Simpang Village community in Simpang sub-district. The activity was attended by five villages around the Orang Kayo Hitam Forest Park, namely: Gedong Karya Village, Sungai Aur Village, Simpang Village, Rantau Makmur Village, and Rawasari Village. This activity was to educate and create awareness and understanding of the importance of nature conservation and the dangers of forest and land fires (KARHUTLA). Activities include coloring competitions for kindergartens/ECEDs level children; drawing competitions for elementary school children; writing and poetry reading competitions, and a knowledge competition contest for middle schoolers/Madrasa (MTS). It is hoped that these environmental education activities will able to increase the communities' knowledge of environmental values for current and future generations.
Also, journalist trips and open discussions with the media at restoration sites to disseminate site-level activities were held. Additionally, we shared and held discussions with fellow NGOs, and the press/media on our experience and actions to restore the Orang Kayo Hitam Forest Park Peatland Ecosystem.
