The Forestry and Environment Service of Papua Province (DKLH Papua) and FORCLIME recently agreed to designate Babrongko Village in Distrik Ebugfauw, Jayapura Regency as a joint target village. In line with this decision, DKLH Papua and FORCLIME held an online meeting on 15 February 2022 in order to discuss the various joint activities that will be carried out in the village. The meeting was opened by the Head of Forestry Planning Division of the Forestry and Environment Service of Papua Province, Dr Estiko Tri Wiradyo, SH. M.Si. During the meeting, after Babrongko had been designated as a target village, a follow-up plan was discussed which included the following elements:
- Field visits in order to collect potential data and socio-economic-cultural data as a basis for program development.
- Recruitment of village facilitators.
- Support from FORCLIME relating to group organizational development, group capacity building for potential product development and ecotourism-related promotions.

The village of Babrongko has been assisted by DKLH Papua since 2012. During the intervening years, a number of programmes have been implemented in conjunction with the local community, including the mapping of an 18 ha sago forest covering the villages of Bhaborongko and Simporo, and the production of Kombo wood, which is used to produce bark for carving. In addition, DKLH Papua has also mapped several customary areas, including customary forests in Babrongko.

The village of Babrongko has various development potentials, including ecotourism. In this regard, the village is host to the playing ground of the famous Cenderawasih bird (the bird of paradise), has a natural sago forest that can be developed for trekking, as well as a lake landscape that boasts views of the Cyclops Mountains. In addition, the area is also home to fascinating traditional arts and culture. Babrongko also has freshwater fish potential and is particularly suited to the snakehead fish, an endemic biota of Lake Sentani which can be farmed.

This coordination meeting will be followed up by a field visit during which potential data and socio-economic-cultural data will be collected and the recruitment process for village facilitators will be implemented.

For more information, please contact:
Theodora F. Resubun, Advisor for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua Province
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic Area Manager for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua and West Papua Provinces