UNDP, EC launch program to preserve tropical forests

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)