CONCEPT PAPER
CONSORTIUM FOR SUPPORTING COMMUNITY BASED FOREST MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ( KpSHK )
Systems of natural resource management by local peoples, practiced for generations, are found in many places in Indonesia. These management practices, based on indigenous knowledge and wisdom, vary widely and have their own characteristics adapted to local conditions. For instance, Krui – Lampung has repong damar: forests planted and managed for resin extraction; parak in Maninjau – West Sumatera; tembawang in Sidas Daya – West Kalimantan; simpukng in Idaatn and Bentian – East Kalimantan communities who plant and manage forests for rattan.
Existence of these local systems is threatened by policies on natural resource management (by government) which ignore local people’s rights. The policies are generalized from place to place and do not respect peoples’ capacities, local culture and typical ecology. This situation is proven by forest degradation and marginalization of local peoples in Indonesia today.
Responding to this phenomenon, and seeking to support the traditional management systems, NGOs have described these systems under the term, Community-based Forest Management system, or Sistem Hutan Kerakyatan (SHK) in Indonesian language. The SHK is a system of natural resource – especially forest resource – management developed by local peoples, based on the local situation and conditions. These systems are alternatives to the existing system of forest exploitation dominated by state and capital’s interests. SHK are trusted by NGOs as management systems which can best ensure sustainability and equity.
9 Principles of the Community-based
Forest Management system
1. The main actors are people (local communities, indigenous peoples);
2. The managing institutions are formed, implemented and controlled directly by the concerned people;
3. Clear territory which is supported by legal certainty;
4. The interaction between people and the forest is direct and close. The ecosystem becomes and important part of livelihood;
5. Indigenous knowledge has an important position and becomes a base for policy on and system of forest management. On the other hand, modern knowledge could enrich and develop the SHK after being adjusted to local situation and conditions;
6. Technology used –if not the local one- should be adjusted and adapted in order to be in the local people’s capacity to control;
7. Production scale is limited only by the principles of sustainability;
8. The economic system is based on the common welfare; and
9. Biodiversity becomes a base of any sector in terms of their species and genetics, cultivation patterns, economic system and many others.
Consortium for Supporting
Community-based Forest Management system (KpSHK)
KpSHK is a network organization established in 1997 in response to initiative of NGOs, indigenous peoples’ organizations, researchers and participants who concern with the issues of natural resources, especially forest resources in Indonesia. The consortium has been positioned as a movement to support systematically the patterns of natural resource management practices developed by indigenous peoples throughout Indonesia since years ago. The support is needed as an answer to practices of commercial forest management ignoring environmental sustainability and indigenous peoples’ rights.
The consortium’s vision is the realization of people’s sovereignty over sustainable natural –especially forest- resources. Based on the vision, the missions that can be translated as follows:
Ø Managing institution revitalization (indigenous law) to have flexibility in order to response all changes.
Ø Technical and Methodology support in the framework of management model development.
Ø Local people (SHK actors) economic empowerment (including market, capital) base on resources they have.
Ø Fight for people sovereignty by recognize, respect and protect people’s rights through relevant policies revision and public support, and watch the policies implementation which are already guarantee people sovereignty.
Ø Networking development inter SHK actors and supporters through experiences, documentations, and communication media exchange.
KpSHK activities
Together with other forest and environmental-related NGOs, the Consortium, through its member nationwide, proactively fights for recognition and legitimation of local and indigenous peoples as the legal owner of their traditional forests, with the right to manage their forest resources sustainable. The consortium’s activities include: facilitating planning by local people to manage their resources; participatory inventorying; studying patterns of forest management and control; providing critical legal education, regional development, institutional empowerment, economic empowerment. The consortium also facilitates dialogues with the government concerning recognition, trainings, comparative studies and multistakeholders dialogues. In the meantime, support is also gained from other stakeholders such as researchers, academicians, students and other people organization at regional and national level. From those activities it is expected to have milestones of success which is firstly, people’s self-reliance to manage their life and secondly, the government policies which respect and protect the people’s autonomy.
KpSHK AS A MOVEMENT IN THE FUTURE
Consortium for Supporting Community Based
Forest Management system (KpSHK) at some region has develop various initiatives
in documenting proof of people success in managing forest resources. After one
decade working in developing ideas and Community Based Forest Management system
practices, KpSHK notice that we need to broaden recognition on occupied forest
areas, and potential to be occupied and directly manage by poor people around
the forest.
KpSHK also realize that Community Based
Forest Management system (SHK) area extensiveness and recognition over people
success in managing the forest, need good human resource that can make the
dream come true. That is why KpSHK view its strategy in extending forest area
where people may manage, need to be change, from networking approach to social
movement approach.
General purpose we would like to achieve
through this program is the safe and prosperous community for the future by
forcing the recognition of people’s right to manage forest resources. Our
special purpose is the recognition of SHK in 5 regions (island).
Choices of developed strategy to support this
movement are:
1.
To build comprehensive system in data
collection and recognition over areas where people has manage.
2.
To develop data base.
3.
To develop people’s learning process.
4.
To obtain wider public support.
5.
To develop endorsement from policy maker.
6.
To develop organization capacity building.
Expected Result
By running some programs from 2003 to 2005,
we expect results:
1.
There are 3.000 peoples manage forest areas
that already registered, and 100 recognized areas as SHK area in 5 regions.
2.
There is a database system about SHK that
could be access by all local people and SHK movement supporter.
3.
Presence of people’s organization.
4.
There are some campaign products about SHK.
5.
The presence of public support.
In executing the program, KpSHK will apply
some methods, which are:
1.
Partnership method, all involve elements in
this movement (local people, supporter) are working together.
2.
Active participation, all elements work in
a system that interacts actively.
3.
Continuous, executed program is the
continuation of previous program and part of social movement in the future.
4.
Community base, that all executed programs
is a process to support community assets management.
5.
Resource sharing, KpSHK will work and share
resources with other sides.
Series of activity that will be done to
support KpSHK movement:
1.
System development (procedure, process,
tools, human resources) to accelerate registration process for potential area
as SHK area.
2.
By using regional coordinator and KpSHK
participants in their own region to register SHK area. KpSHK will register ±
1.000 new SHK areas in one year. By the end of 2005 there will be 3.000 registered
SHK areas, and 100 recognized SHK areas.
3.
Local people meeting, at village, region,
and national level.
4.
Recognition of SHK area by pushing
registered area to complete their information and strengthen people’s
organization.
5.
Database system development and monitoring,
evaluating, and updating system to support registration program and recognition
of SHK area.
6.
Local people capacity building;
·
Economic training, critical legal education
·
Inter region study visit
7.
Regional collaborative study.
8.
Develop SHK media information (bulletin,
information sheet, books, catalogues, etc).
9.
Interest group meeting to build support.
10. Periodically
social events movement through SHK Festivals.
11. Working
standard development, process, output and outcomes that guarantee the social movement
will work smoothly and responsible.
12. Monitoring
and evaluation.