Workshop on Building Resilient Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra for Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation
DESMA Center in collaboration with UNESCO Office Jakarta and Coordinating Ministry of People’s Welfare as well as Ministry of Forestry has conducted the Workshop on 23-24 September 2014 at Aryaduta Hotel, Medan, North Sumatra. It was attended by 110 participants representing Central Government (Coordinating Ministry of People’s Welfare, Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of Public Works), Provincials and Districts Government around Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (TRHS), research institutions, universities, journalists, Directors of national park in TRHS, Natural Resources Conservation Agencies in Sumatra Region-Ministry of Forestry, Jakarta and Sumatra-based NGOs, private sectors, UNESCO Office Jakarta and Indonesian National Commission for UNESCO.
UNESCO Office Jakarta is working on an Indonesia Fund-in-Trust project, which general aim is to enhance the integrity of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra and to protect it from further threats by identifying transportation options for the area through a SEA, as part of effort to remove TRHS from In Danger List status. This National Inception Workshop is the first activity of UNESCO contribution to engage and consolidate main stakeholders concerned by the planned road construction, increase awareness of the various impacts of road construction and fragmentation amongst stakeholders, clarify legal status of the planned operations to all parties of national parks within TRHS, provide goals and methodology of the SEA.
The workshop consists of four sessions: opening and keynotes speech, panel presentations, focus group discussion, and closing remarks. Five keynote speeches were presented by prominent representatives from Indonesia Commission for UNESCO, Ministry of Forestry, Coordinating Ministry of People’s Welfare, Governor of North Sumatra, and UNESCO Jakarta Office. Up to 13 international and national experts presented the recent condition of TRHS area and global perspective on the environmental management.
They were Mr. Petch Manopawitr, Deputy of Southeast Asia Group IUCN, Ir. Hartono, M.Sc Director Conservation Areas and Protection Forest Development (KKBHL), Mr. Ir. M. Arief Tongkagie, Head of Kerinci Seblat National Park, Dr. Fadjrie Alihar, senior scientist from Indonesia Institute of Science (LIPI), Dr. Ir. Maulidya Indah Junica, M.Sc from Ministry of Public Works and Mr. Alfiansyah, S.Pi, ME, from Jambi Province Agency for Development Planning, Mr. Panut Hadisiswoyo from Conservation Forum for Sumatran Orangutan, Mr. Arief Rubianto from Indonesian Rhino Foundation, Mr.Munawar Kholis from Tiger Foundation, Mr. Muhamad Wahyu from Veterinary Society/Elephant Conservation Forum, Dr. Peter Oksen from DANIDA, Dr. Hendra Gunawan from Forestry Research and Development Agency-Ministry of Forestry.
Presentations and group discussion focused on the Strategic Environmental Assessment of road development inside the property of TRHS, legal and policy, social-economic, biodiversity, and environmental impact of road construction.
All the keynote speakers have clear and common understanding that TRHS is important tropical rainforest ecosystem in Sumatra, high biodiversity area, and the critical remaining habitat for the famous four endangered species of Sumatra such as tiger, elephant, rhino, and orangutan. The three national parks of TRHS are also recognized as headwaters of the major rivers in the regions that significantly contribute to the agriculture, industry, and energy. Keynote speakers endorsed and encouraged multi-sectors stakeholders to act together as Super-Team to save TRHS, remove it from In Danger List, and to improve people’s welfare around TRHS. Building resilient in TRHS is not just for biodiversity protection, but it also supports climate change policies at national level.
