With the purpose of encouraging Village Forest Management Agencies (LPHD) to prepare Social Forestry Management Plans (RKPS), a series of activities were recently held for seven LHPDs in Seremuk Sub-District, South Sorong Regency, specifically a survey of forest potential (10 – 11 July 2023) and a workshop on the preparation of RKPS (12 – 13 July 2023). This series of activities were held at the resort office of the Sorong Selatan Production Forest Management Unit (KPHP, Haha Village), while the seven LPHD were from the villages of Haha, Wendi, Sira, Manggaroholo, Sasnek, Woloin and Boldon. The activities were the result of a collaboration between the Southwest Papua Provincial Service for the Environment, Forestry and Agriculture, the Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership Agency (BPSKL) of Maluku-Papua Section II Region, South Sorong KPHP and GIZ FORCLIME.

The survey of forest potential was completed in order to specifically address the development of business potential. Data relating to this area are very useful in terms of partnership opportunities and business cooperation. In addition, the LPHD were able to clearly assess the boundaries of their respective management/work areas so that they could subsequently map their forest potential. The results of this survey should prove very useful during preparations of Social Forestry Management Plans.

The workshop on RKPS development was opened by the Head of the Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership Agency (BPSKL) for the Maluku-Papua Section II Region, Mr. Ojom Somantri, S.Hut., M.Sc., and was attended by seven LPHDs from Seremuk Sub-District, as well as by the Head of Kampung Haha, the Secretary of Kampung Haha, the Kampung Haha village council (Bamuskam), youth leaders and women's groups from Kampung Haha, the Kampung Haha Traditional Council and Kampung Haha community representatives.

The final RKPS document will ultimately be approved by the Heads of the LPHD concerned, the Heads of KPH and the Head of the Maluku Papua Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership Agency.

For more information, please contact:
Nita Yohana, Advisor for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for West Papua Province
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic Area Manager for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua and West Papua Provinces