"The Indonesia government proposed the development of communities living in the biosphere reserve region with the concept of bio-village which is expected to be a basis in the management of biosphere reserves in Indonesia and the worldwide," Minister Zulkifli explained after the opening of the SSC Workshop here Tuesday.
According to him the concept of bio-village from Indonesia could be a reference in the SSC workshop that will discuss the follow-up and implementation of a three-year work plan in the period of 2011-2013 that have been decided in the first workshop in Kinshasha, Congo.
The bio-village concept itself is a form of synergy of all the stakeholders whose primary purpose is to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and is expected to improve the life of residents in the surrounding forest areas.
Zulkifli added the concept has been implemented in Giam Siak Kecil-Bukit Batu reserve biosphere, Riau province which is a collaboration of the administration, businessmen, local people as well as academics.
Zulkifli hoped the private sector engaged in the forestry industry could play a more active role in collaboration of bio-village in the research to empower the local people living in the vicinity of forest areas.
"The key is that the forest areas will be good if they give benefits to human beings around the areas," he said.
The SSC Workshop is taking place on 4 to 8 October. The SSC workshop participants come from countries that have tropical rain forests in the world including Congo and Brazil.
Other participants come from Japan, China and Taiwan as well as the ten ASEAN countries. In addition, there is one country from Africa namely Mali, and France as a representative of European country.
Participants from forestry industry companies who are taking part in the event includr those from Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper (Riau pulp) and Sinar Mas Forestry.
Meanwhile, the President Director of Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper, Kusnan Rahmin, said the company is committed to continue conducting various studies related to the identification and management of High Conservation Value (HCV) in the concession areas under its management by involving national and international experts.
According to him, the involvement of various stakeholders in managing the areas which are identified to have high conservation value will not only help protect the region but also raise awareness and participation of various stakeholders in forest and environmental conservations.
"This is a very good effort to realize the collaborative management in managing forests environmentally sustainably," he said.
Kusnan added the company is a unit of Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) that has been actively managing the protected areas in their concessions, so the regions can function well as water catchment, wildlife corridors as well as protection of biodiversity areas.
"Even in the company`s concession in Semenanjung Kampar, Riau, we have allocated approximately 26 percent of the areas managed as protected areas and about 12 percent for land plant life for the local people benefit," Kusnan noted.
(Uu.KR-LWA/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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