On account of its vast size, the area is also known by different names, including Dobonsolo Mountains, Dafonsoro Mountains, and Robhong Holo Mountains, with its highest peak reaching an elevation of 1,970 meters above sea level.
The Cycloop Mountains area is indubitably of significant importance, given its status as a natural sanctuary for Papua Island’s diverse endemic flora and fauna.
Various types of orchids can be found in this premise, which is also home to the birds of paradise, cassowaries, cuscus, porcupines, and tree kangaroos.
That said, all segments of society, including but not limited to government institutions, should share the responsibility of protecting and conserving this lush, biologically diverse mountainous region.
“The successful preservation of the Cycloop Mountains heavily depends on strong commitments and cooperation among all stakeholders,” Aristoteles Ap, the acting head of Papua Province’s Forestry and Environment Office, stated.
Empowering the community
Aligning steps and goals among government officials and members of the wider community is a must for the Indonesian nation to help the Cycloop Mountains survive and thrive.
“We believe that collaborative and participative measures are key to optimally managing Papuan forests,” Aristoteles stated.
To that end, local authorities have moved to empower at least 45 forest farmer groups operating around the mountains to produce non-timber forest products, such as sago sticks, ice creams, bamboo combs, pure coconut oil, and a variety of handicrafts.
Moreover, the authorities have been designing and promoting forest trekking routes in several spots across the Cycloop Mountains.
The Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) of Papua has taken the initiative of establishing groups of locals, empowering them to partake in the conservation of Cycloop.
Taufik Mubarak, a representative from the BBKSDA, stated that his team had been providing assistance and intensive mentoring activities to the groups with the aim of building their awareness of the need to protect the mountains.
In 2024, the agency allotted a budget worth Rp1.26 billion (around USD76.5 thousand) to carry out activities aimed at assisting 50 groups across Jayapura City and District in running or starting creative economic businesses.
In Jayapura District, for instance, the BKSDA has been helping groups fully capitalize on orchids, birds of paradise, fish, and crops found around the Cycloop conservation area.
This conservation approach taken by the agency aims to ensure that local residents play their role in preserving forests while reaping economic benefits from their preservation activities.
Optimally and effectively protecting the Cycloop Mountains is a complex task. It is worth noting that the proximity of the high-altitude mountains to residential areas below has, to some extent, put locals at risk of experiencing the impacts of environmental degradation higher up.
The looming threats include a shortage of clean water, floods, and landslides.
While it may be safe to say that the BBKSDA of Papua deserves some credit for involving local residents in the efforts to protect the Cycloop Mountains, harmful practices are still prevalent among some community members.
Research from the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry, and Marine Affairs at Otto Geisler University of Papua indicates that water sources around the area have been polluted due to increasingly harmful human activities.
“Regulations exist, but tolerance for their violations remains an issue. Firm actions against those found harming the environment are essential,” Frank L. Apituley, an academician from the university, stated.
Demands for deterrence
The government of Jayapura City and Jayapura District have issued regulations regarding the management and protection of Cycloop Mountains.
“We, customary communities inhabiting the Cycloop area, fully support all measures for preserving this region. It is true, however, that preservation efforts have been hindered by plenty of obstacles. For this reason, severe sanctions are necessary,” Daniel Toto, coordinator of the Council of Indigenous Tribes of the Tabi Customary Region of Papua Province, stated.
He stressed that the absence of firm actions against encroachers of forests within the Cycloop area might eventually lead to the recurrence of devastating flash floods like those that wreaked havoc in Sentani, Jayapura District, in 2019.
“Among the most straightforward impacts of environmental degradation in Cycloop was the flash floods that hit Sentani back in 2019. This disaster claimed hundreds of lives and damaged thousands of homes,” he explained.
Bearing that in mind, there is no reason for the authorities to withhold impactful penalties or turn a blind eye to destructive acts committed by irresponsible individuals or groups in the Cycloop Mountains.
Shielding the precious mountainous region from potential damages is a shared responsibility, not only for government officials but also for members of the public in a broader term.
Given its vital role in providing water to humans and protecting them from likely natural disasters, the Cycloop Mountains area wields all the rights to have its features safeguarded and its sustainability guaranteed.
Protecting the verdant area means preserving the existence of Papua’s diverse flora and fauna.
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Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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