The Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership Center (BPSKL) Maluku Papua engaged in an outreach effort last July in relation to its social forestry programme, particularly within the area of Dosay Village, Jayapura Regency, Papua Province. This activity was implemented in conjunction with the Papua Forest Resources Conservation Center (BBKSDA) as a part of efforts aimed at accelerating social forestry management access within the province. During the event, the community of Dosay Village was provided with information on the five social forestry schemes that can be selected from and applied to the management of their forests. In this regard, the village forest and the community forest schemes are the two such schemes which have been deemed the most suitable for the population of Dosay.

Following up on this previous outreach event, FORCLIME, in conjunction with the Region III Section of BPSKL Maluku Papua, held an FGD with the people of Dosay Village on 30 October 2023 in order to discuss the initial concept of the Village Forest Management Agreement (PPHD) document, including various elements that still need to be finalized by the community through consensual processes. The event was opened by the Head of Dosay Village, Mr. Yunus Yoboisembut, and was attended by tribal heads from the village. The FDG results document was subsequently distributed to the tribal heads present at the meeting and will be used during further clan-level discussions that will be held in order to decide on the size of the proposed management area in accordance with the selected social forestry scheme.

“This social forestry activity has been highly valuable and the regulation explains exactly how tribes/clans can manage their lands,” explained Mr. Martinus Done, a community leader from Dosay Village. “The community hopes that information regarding the relevant area boundaries will be immediately disseminated so that the population will be able to manage their land and receive the benefits from their forests,” Mr. Done concluded.

After the documents have been completed by each clan, the application document for the Dosay Village social forestry programme will be finalized by the Dosay Village government through the publication of an official report on the approval of the village forest scheme by the Dosay Village community. This report will then be submitted in the form of a Village Forest Management Approval (PPHD) document.

For more information, please contact:
Hana Soakakone, intern from Cenderawasih University
Yosina Demetouw, intern from Cenderawasih University
Rut M Ohoiwutun, Junior Adviser for Community Forestry and Hutan Adat, Papua
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic Area Manager for Sustainable Forest Management and Coordinator for Papua and West Papua Provinces