Pustarhut Showcases Collaborative Achievements at the 2024 Annual Technical Workshop in Bangkok
Bangkok, September 9, 2024 – The Center for Standardization of Sustainable Forest Management Instruments (Pustarhut) once again steps onto the international stage by participating in the 2024 Annual Technical Workshop (ATW) organized by the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), held in Bangkok from September 9–11, 2024. The Annual Technical Workshop serves as a platform to assess the performance and management of collaborative projects. Pustarhut is currently managing the AFoCO cooperation project titled “Innovative Solutions for Climate Change and Biodiversity Landscape Strategy to Support SDGs in Indonesia (AFoCO/023/2021).” The project aims to introduce innovative approaches to sustainable forest management practices, enhance the capacity of Forest Management Units (KPH) and local communities, and contribute to greenhouse gas emission reduction and biodiversity conservation across landscapes. This project focuses on three ecosystem types: peatland ecosystems in Riau (Minas Tahura KPH), karst ecosystems in Makassar (Bulusaraung KPH), and mangrove ecosystems in Sumbawa (Amplang Plampang KPH). Set to conclude in December 2024, the AFoCO/023/2021 project’s progress was comprehensively presented by Ayun Windyoningrum, the Project Manager from Pustarhut, during the workshop. “All targeted outputs have essentially been achieved, including capacity building for KPH and communities, the development of pilot demonstrations, and the facilitation of long-term forest management planning based on climate adaptation and mitigation,” explained Ayun. The results of the collaboration were also presented through a video showcasing project activities in a visual format. The video drew significant attention from ATW 2024 participants. Yeongjoo LEE from the AFoCO Secretariat expressed appreciation, noting that Indonesia’s video was highly communicative. Wening Sri Wulandari, Head of Pustarhut, extended her gratitude to AFoCO for its continuous collaboration and partnership with Indonesia, particularly through the AFoCO/023/2021 project. “This cooperation has been incredibly valuable in supporting sustainable forest management, particularly in the development of non-timber forest products, rehabilitation, conservation of natural resources, and the formulation of standards. I sincerely hope this collaboration continues,” said Wening. The ATW 2024 also hosted the 1st AFoCO Project Photo Exhibition. Indonesia actively participated by submitting a photo titled “Watering and Growing New Green Hope among the Burnt Pine Stumps.” The photo, capturing a woman watering a young pine tree amid burnt stumps, won the Gold Award as the first-place winner. Opened by AFoCO Executive Director, Chongho Park, the workshop featured key sessions including progress presentations and discussions from cooperation project managers representing Viet Nam, Lao PDR, Timor Leste, Thailand, Mongolia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Kyrgyzstan. Accompanying the Head of Pustarhut at the event was Choirul Ahmad, Head of the Division for Instrument Standard Development and Forest Laboratory Management. ***
Korea Forest Service Field Visit: PuSTARhut Highlights the Role of Standardization in Peatland Restoration
Jambi, Tuesday, August 6, 2024 – The Center for Standardization of Sustainable Forest Management Instruments (Pustarhut) participated in the field visit of the Korea Forest Service (KFS) delegation to the restoration site of burnt peatland in Londerang Peat Protection Forest (HLG), Jambi. This visit was part of a cooperation program organized by the Korea-Indonesia Forest Cooperation Center (KIFC), an initiative based on the Cooperation Framework of the Priority Program on Forestry. The KFS delegation, led by Nam Song Hee, Director General of the International Affairs Bureau, visited to monitor the progress of the Restoration of Burnt Peatland in Jambi Project, which is now in its fourth year of implementation. The visit also served as an opportunity to explore future collaboration potential between Korea and Indonesia in peatland management and restoration. In her remarks, Nam Song Hee expressed KFS’s satisfaction with the restoration outcomes in Londerang, which achieved a 96% survival rate of endemic species. This remarkable success indicates that the selected endemic plants have adapted well to their restored habitat, marking a significant milestone in demonstrating the effectiveness of the applied restoration methods. On this occasion, Wening Sri Wulandari, Head of Pustarhut, stated that the best practices implemented in the peatland restoration could be replicated in other areas and used as a foundation for developing new standards. The proven technologies used in the project provide a strong basis for formulating standards for peatland management—an area with great potential for future cooperation between the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) and KFS. It is widely known that peatlands are among the most effective carbon sinks. The carbon stored in peatlands exists in a stable form, making long-term storage crucial for climate change mitigation by preventing the release of CO₂ into the atmosphere. Echoing this, Noor Andi Kusumah, Director of Peat Ecosystem Damage Control (PKEG), emphasized that monitoring and evaluation are key to the success of any restoration effort. Therefore, having a clear standard or guidance is essential to ensure consistent implementation. “This activity is a testament to the pentahelix collaboration model, involving government, communities, academia, the private sector, and media. Each element brings unique and complementary contributions,” he added. Also attending the event were the Head of the Jambi Provincial Forestry Office, representatives from the Jambi Environmental Office, the University of Jambi, the Bureau of International Cooperation of MoEF, Manggala Agni DAOPS IX Jambi, local Forest Management Units (KPH), and community members. The visit concluded with a symbolic tree planting ceremony to mark the end of the activity. ***
Teknologi Pengeringan Kayu
Indonesia Progress Report on HMP
Indonesia Progress Report on Legality Timber
