Wehea-Kelay Landscape to Become a Forestry Multi-business Pilot Site

Samarinda (ANTARA) – The Wehea-Kelay landscape in East Kalimantan has been selected by the Ministry of Forestry as a pilot site for implementing Forestry Multi-business (MUK), with the aim of developing sustainable forest-based enterprises.

“Since becoming a pilot site on 6 October this year, we have continued to work with the government to strengthen biodiversity protection and improve community welfare,” said Herlina Hartanto, executive director of the Nusantara Nature Conservation Foundation (YKAN), speaking by phone from Samarinda on Tuesday.

The landscape is one of East Kalimantan’s important forest areas, providing a habitat for key wildlife species including orangutans, gibbons, sun bears, proboscis monkeys and hornbills.

Through MUK, the government is encouraging forestry businesses to diversify from their traditional reliance on timber by developing alternative sources of income, such as agroforestry and environmental services, including carbon trading.

Reliance on timber is considered insufficient to realise forests’ full economic potential. In addition, high production costs and market price pressures have left some concessions inactive, putting them at risk of forest degradation, deforestation and land conversion.

In Wehea-Kelay, YKAN, the East Kalimantan provincial government, the private sector, academics and local communities began developing the landscape initiative in 2024 as a platform for collaboration on sustainable landscape management.

“Six companies holding Natural Forest Utilisation Business Permits (PBPH-HA) have joined the initiative so far, which covers 14 villages,” Herlina said.

She added that the Kalimantan landscape is now developing a forestry business model combining timber products with regenerative agroforestry and environmental services.