In order to prepare for a periodic review of the Lore Lindu Biosphere Reserve (LLBR) that will be conducted in 2023, the LLBR Management Coordination and Communication Forum, led by the Regional Planning and Development Agency (Bappeda) of Central Sulawesi Province, recently held its 2022 LLBR Management Coordination and Communication Forum Meeting. The theme of this year's annual meeting was, “Building Commitment for Sustainable Development” and the event was held on 16 November 2022 at the Polibu Meeting Hall in the Governor’s Office of Central Sulawesi Province.

The meeting was opened by Drs. H. Ma'mun Amir, Deputy Governor of Central Sulawesi Province, who stated his appreciation for the efforts of Bappeda, related stakeholders and development partners regarding the implementation of the meeting. Mr. Amir also expressed his hope that the involvement of all parties would result in the integration of different aspects relating to planning and implementation, ultimately resulting in sustainable development and an ability to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs sufficiently.

During the meeting, a panel discussion was held and involved contributions from two invited speakers, namely Prof. Dr. Ir. Y. Purwanto, DEA (Chairman of the Indonesian MAB National Committee and the National Research and Innovation Agency), who offered insights into the management of biosphere reserves, the preparation of periodic reviews and product branding, as well as Mr. Christopher Eichhorn (GIZ FORCLIME Jakarta), who shared his experiences of the management of biosphere reserves in Germany. A video message from Dr. Hans Decker Thulstrup (MAB UNESCO Headquarters in Paris) was also shown.

After the meeting had been concluded, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed and represented a joint commitment by district/city governments in the LLBR area (including the governments of Palu City, Poso Regency, Parigi Moutong Regency, Donggala Regency and Sigi Regency) to make a positive contribution towards sustainable LLBR management. Biosphere Reserve Product Certificates were also handed over to nine SMEs that have been verified by the LLBR Product Registration and Verification Team. The SME products in question included chocolate, crispy brownies, chocolate bagea, fried onions and coffee.

As a follow-up to this meeting, an LLBR master plan will be developed while a periodic review form will be completed.

For more information, please contact:
Fikty Aprilinayati, Advisor for Sustainable Forest Management and Biosphere Reserve Management
Ismet Khaeruddin, Senior Adviser for Biodiversity Focal Point for the KFW Forest Program 3 and Provincial Coordinator for Central Sulawesi