Collaborations Between Partners of TFCA Sumatra and The Authorities of Kota Agung Utara
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Date:
12 Jan 2023 -
Author:
KEHATI
Lampung Province has 1,004,735 hectares of forest area divided into several parts based on their unique functions such as production area (permanent and limited), protection area, and conservation area (including National Parks, Natural Reserves, and Community Forest Parks). According to Ministerial Decree No. 379/Menhut II/2011, issued July 18, 2011, the Protected Forest Management Unit (known as KPHL: Kesatuan Pengelolaan Hutan Lindung) in Kota Agung Utara is one of 16 places that belong to the Forest Management Unit (known as KPH: Kesatuan Pengelolaan Hutan).
Its boundaries cover a total of 56,020 hectares including Protected Forest Areas (knows as KHL: Kawasan Hutan Lindung) Register 30 Gunung Tanggamus, Register 31 Pematang Arahan, and portions of Register 39 Kota Agung Utara. The Core Block (55 plots) and the Utilization Block are the two sections of the Kota Agung Utara KPHL (162 plots).
7 Forest Management Resorts (known as RPH: Resort Pengelolaan Hutan), administratively located in Tanggamus Regency covering 11 districts, are responsible for managing a total of 217 plots. The western end of this region is immediately near to the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (known as TNBBS: Taman Nasional Bukit Barisan Selatan). Based on the Long Term Forest Management Plan (known as RPHJP: Rencana Pengelolaan Hutan Jangka Panjang) of The Kota Agung Utara KPH 2014–2023, many of the plant and animal species found in this tropical rain forest are similar to those found in TNBBS.
The flora is dominated by two varieties of carrion flowers, amorphophallus titanum and amorphophallus deculsivae, and the rafflesia flower (raflesia arnoldii sp.). The Sumatran rhinoceros (dicerorhinus sumatrensis), Sumatran elephant (elephas maximus sumatranus), tiger (panthera tigris), and tapir (tapirus indicus) are among the animal species found there.
A local community group called Satgas Sahabat Satwa (Animal Friend Task Force), with its project entitled “Strengthening Community Self-reliance in Managing Elephant-Human Conflict in TNBBS,” and Tapak Liman Lampung (TALI) with its project entitled “Social-Economic Independence of the Task Force Team in Handling Human Elephant Conflict Around Buffer Village Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park,” received financial support through TFCA Sumatra Cycle IX Grant.
The programs of the two partners were intertwined; the Task Force aimed to lessen human-animal conflicts, particularly those involving elephants, while TALI supported the task force members’ economic development. This partnership provides services to nine villages (Tulung Asahan Village, Sidomulyo, Karang Agung, Srikaton, Pardawaras, Sedayu, Sukaraja, Argomulyo, and Way Kerap) and four Farmer Group Unions (Gapoktan), such as Mulya Agung, Tulung Agung, Hutan Lestari, and Lentera, whose areas are part of Kota Agung Utara KPHL. Under these circumstances, extensive coordination is required to make sure that operations are coordinated and run well.
“The Sumatran TFCA partner projects (Task Force and TALI) are listed in Registers 31 and 39, respectively. We hope for activity synergy and coordination between Partners and KPHL Kota Agung Utara”, said Ariyadi Agustiono, Head of KPHL Kota Agung Utara, after opening a coordination meeting with partners on Friday (23/09) in Kota Agung.
This coordination meeting follows the previous one on Thursday (8/09) in Bandar Lampung between the South Regional Facility and the Head of the Kota Agung Utara KPHL. This coordination is critical for partner activities such as patrols and blockades in conflict areas between wild elephants and humans (9 villages and 4 Gapoktan), planting elephant food at 6 points along the elephant roaming route, building monitoring towers at 6 points along the wild elephants’ entry and exit routes, and putting up 260 honey bee stup. Some of the two partners’ activities are directly related to the Kota Agung Utara KPHL’s location and authority.