Protecting Marinelife through Community Welfare
Press release
In the Karimata Islands Marine Nature Reserve in Kayong Utara District, West Kalimantan, communities’ livelihoods and wellbeing are intrinsically linked with the state of nature. Management and protection of natural resources cannot be separated from the day-to-day lives and participation of the community that calls this area home.
Fisherman in the bay of Karimata Islands. Photo Roni Bia Santo
With a vast complex coral reef system and mangrove forest hosting multiple important and endangered species, the 190,000 ha Karimata Marine Reserve is a protected area, yet there are still several unsustainable actions that occur. Poaching and the use of non-environmentally friendly fishing gear are threats that place a high pressure on biodiversity, putting the ecosystem - and community wellbeing - at risk.
To address these threats, Planet Indonesia is collaborating with the West Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA Kalbar), seeking to improve the quality of the environment and nature in the Karimata Islands Marine Nature Reserve by carrying out enhancing the standard of living of the community through our community-led Cooperation Cooperatives (CC) approach.
“Through the CC approach, putting the decision-making back into the hands of local communities and building their independence, we hope to reduce pressure on the protected area, ecosystem and biodiversity”
Karimata CC Reflection Workshop and Capacity Building workshop in September 2023
In facilitating the creation of local community governance bodies at the village level, Planet Indonesia implements various conservation-based empowerment programs. The governance bodies act as the backbone and decision-making tool through which a community can access and build their rotating resilience fund, health care through a healthy family initiative, literacy programs, technical support to strengthen sustainable fisheries, and SMART Patrols to protect and monitor surrounding natural resources.
Miftah Zam Achid, Chief Program Officer of Planet Indonesia, goes on to explain that in the future, the hope is that each Conservation Cooperative, as a governance body, is expected to be able to actively participate in managing conservation-based activities at the community level, and are put back behind the wheel to determine the future of their own social-ecological standing and community wellbeing.
“As the conservation-based community empowerment program through CC progresses, community involvement or participation will also contribute to improve the quality of the Karimata Islands Marine Nature Reserve area which also supports community living systems as well as biodiversity”
The management authority for this area is under the BKSDA Kalbar, Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Representing BKSDA Kalbar, in his remarks, the Head of Conservation Section Region I Ketapang, Birawa said that managing the Karimata Islands Marine Nature Reserve area sustainably requires the participation and support of all stakeholders, especially the community of the Karimata Islands.
“Through this activity, I hope there will be a common agreement or vision in Karimata Islands Marine Nature Reserve management between the relevant stakeholders, including the village and sub-district governments, Kayong Utara District Government, and the community of the Karimata Islands, which eventually it can provide sustainable benefits to the community, both in and surround the area”
As the government at the village level, the Head of Betok Jaya Village, Hardianto expressed his impressions and hopes regarding community assistance that has been running in his village through CC as a governance body over the past one year.
“I greatly welcome the existence of CC in our village. I hope that in the future, the village, together with Planet Indonesia and BSKDA, and other stakeholders, can strengthen each other and synergize, both in terms of improving the quality of Human Resources, improving the community’s economy, as well as improving the quality of the environment and ecosystem in a sustainable way”
By carrying out various activities such as raising awareness about the ecological importance of conservation areas and also socio-economic activities, CC is expected to become a partner at the community level who is able to harmonize economic needs with nature conservation efforts
In the Karimata Islands Marine Nature Reserve area, Kayong Utara District, West Kalimantan, four CCs have been established in two villages, namely Betok Village and Padang Village, which has been running for one year (2022-2023).
For more information, please contact:
Rynal May Fadly (Karimata Islands Site Manager, Yayasan Planet Indonesia)
Email: rynal@planetindonesia.org
Lia Syafitri (Communications Manager, Yayasan Planet Indonesia)