UNDP, EC launch program to preserve tropical forests

The Jakarta Post, Bogor, West Java

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the European Commission (EC) launched a joint program on Tuesday to preserve the country's rapidly shrinking tropical forests and improve the living standards of communities in forested areas.

The EC has allocated around 1.2 million Euro (Rp 15.5 billion) for the Small Grants Program for Operations to Promote Tropical Forests (SGP PTF) for a two-year term.

The program will cover all forested areas in Java and some forested areas in South Sumatra and Central Sulawesi.

"Aceh and North Sumatra have also been included in the program in response to the recent tsunami disaster," UNDP environment unit head in Jakarta Budhi Sayoko said.

Non-governmental and community-based organizations, customary communities, tribal communities and small community-based business entities are eligible for grants under the program.

"We have received around 86 proposals from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), which will be tightly screened based on factors such as their integrity, and the project's scope and ability to lift the surrounding community's welfare," said program coordinator Elaine Pingkan Slamet.

She said the projects would last for two years and are slated to start in July.

The program could be extended for five years if it is effective and successful, SGP PTF National Steering Committee chairman Effendy Sumardja added.

The SGP PTF has been established in line with one of the five goals set by the Ministry of Forestry during the 2004-2009 period, to improve the welfare of people living in forested areas.

"It is impossible to sustain forests and ignore the welfare of the surrounding communities, and vice versa," said Koes Saparijadi, the director general of conservation at the forestry ministry.

"A forest should be conserved and protected. Therefore, future ecosystem development goals must take into consideration economic, cultural and social values in order to promote community welfare," he added.

Head of the EC's development cooperation division Vernond Copeland said European countries hoped to support civil society directly through development programs in sustainable forest management.

According to SGP PTF regional coordinator Mark Sandiford, people living around forests are generally poor and are often employed seasonally as illegal loggers, despite the risks that such work entails.

"This is extremely dangerous as they could be killed, arrested or attacked by other groups. We offer alternatives, so that once the programs are established and they are educated, they can resist," he said.

Effendy Sumardja concurred with Sandiford, saying the program was aimed at helping curb widespread illegal logging across the country.

"We hope that once educated, locals can act as watchdogs against illegal logging," he said. (005)