Forestry Minister Raja Hands Over Nine Social Forestry Approvals in North Sulawesi
Manado (ANTARA) - Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni handed over nine Approval Decrees for Social Forestry Management to local communities during a working visit to North Sulawesi on Thursday.
“This handover is not merely a document, but a manifestation of the state’s presence in providing certainty of management rights to the community,” said Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni at the Mangrove Park area in Darunu Village, North Minahasa Regency, on Thursday.
The Ministry of Forestry, he said, aims to ensure that communities become the main actors in forest management while preserving sustainability.
The Forestry Minister explained that the handover of the nine Social Forestry decrees, covering a total area of approximately 1,742 hectares, will be given to 328 Family Heads (KK) spread across North Minahasa, South Minahasa, Minahasa, and Bolaang Mongondow Regencies.
The decree handover, he continued, is part of the government’s efforts to provide legal access certainty to communities for managing forest areas sustainably.
Forestry Minister Raja Juli emphasised that Social Forestry must serve as an instrument for economic transformation of forest-based communities.
“It should not stop at granting access, but develop into an integrated business ecosystem from upstream to downstream, including production, processing, financing, and market access,” he said.
At the event, the Forestry Minister also carried out symbolic mangrove planting over 0.5 hectares with a total of 600 seedlings of Rhizophora apiculata and Avicennia marina species, as part of efforts to rehabilitate coastal ecosystems, while strengthening the mangrove’s function as a carbon absorber (blue carbon) and protector of coastal areas from abrasion.
Director General of Social Forestry at the Ministry of Forestry, Catur Endah Prasetiani, in her report, stated that nationally, Social Forestry achievements have reached 8.33 million hectares with 11,190 decree units benefiting more than 1.42 million Family Heads (KK).
The activity also showcased best practices in mangrove management by the community at Mangrove Park in Darunu Village, which has been developed into an ecotourism area and productive enterprises based on non-timber forest products.
This demonstrates that sustainable forest management can go hand in hand with improving community welfare.
The Forestry Minister called on local governments, facilitators, the business world, and communities to continue strengthening synergy in developing Social Forestry to make it a pillar of sustainable green economy.
“From the forest, we drive welfare, and from the community, we preserve sustainability,” said Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni.