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. ***