East Kalimantan has been among the early province to start the development of Forest Management Unit (Kesatuan Pengelolaan Hutan-KPH).  It has been started back to 2007 when the first development of KPH model started.  With Berau Barat, Tarakan and Bulungan the first KPH as a model were established in the region until the establishment of the new province of North Kalimantan, which separated KPH Tarakan and KPH Bulungan from East Kalimantan.  Currently, East Kalimantan province is responsible to develop 21 KPHs consist of 18 KPHP, 2 KPHL and 1 KPHK (Taman Hutan Raya).

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry had established 529 FMU (KPH) to better manage state forests. The establishment is based on its forest function domination, i.e. in the form of KPHP (production forest) and KPHL (protection forest) and KPHK (for mainly conservation forest). It has been targeted that by 2020, 600 of KPHP and KPHL and, at least, 100 of KPHK will be established and operational.  FORCLIME provides continuous support on the KPH development in Indonesia, particularly in its pilot districts: Berau Barat, Malinau and Kapuas Hulu.  After UU 23/2014 on Regional Government (Pemerintahan Daerah), where the forest management authority integrated to provincial level, FORCLIME support is extended in strengthening FMU development at provincial level.

FORCLIME’s support on FMU-development at provincial level includes enhancement of human resources and institutional capacities, organizational development and institutional strengthening, support on facilitating planning processes and capacities, establishment of “KPH center” as a communication platform, etc.  The effort to support province in FMU Development has been synergized with different partners such as GGGI (Global Green Growth Institute), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Worldwide Fund for Conservation of Nature (WWF Indonesia), local partners as well as the Regional Council on Climate Change (Dewan Daerah Perubahan Iklim - DDPI).

Why KPH Development Roadmap?

The urgency of the establishment of KPH became more obvious since the shift of the forest authority from district to province and national level, which left no forestry institution at the field level besides KPH.  This fact brings as a consequences to operate all KPHs as soon as possible.  At the same time East Kalimantan has put a bigger commitment to sustainable development and climate change mitigation action, which requires the establishment of KPH as a pre-condition.

In order to have a clear way forward, set-up SMART targets and consolidate potential resources towards full operation of FMU, East Kalimantan developed a road map called “accelerated road map of FMU development in East Kalimantan (road map percepatan pembangunan KPH di Kalimantan Timur).  This road map starts from the identification of  requirement for independent KPH and the plan to achieve it.  This roadmap shall also  function as a coordinated reference for relevant stakeholders to support the KPH development in East Kalimantan.

What is KPH Development Roadmap?

Road map “Percepatan KPH” is based on 5 pillars for “KPH mandiri” (well running FMU) as the “end in mind”.  This 5 pillars represent 5 conditions in which KPH could be considered well-operational.  They are:

1. All KPH areas are legally designated;
2. KPH operation is supported by strong institution and organization;
3. KPH has the “SMART planning” following planning from strategic, operation and business planning  needs;
4. KPH is able to implement Sustainable Forest Management Practices;
5. KPH management ensures sustainability in its operation.

Those five pillars were elaborated to a series of criteria and indicators which levels of achievement will be measured, followed by action plans and milestones for different time frames (short, middle and long term).  The road map is aimed to be a single map to be used by all stakeholders in East Kalimantan to support the development of present KPH toward KPH mandiri.

Lesson learned and the way forward

KPH development is a big challenge for the province due to limited resources, experience and human resource capacity.  In this sense, KPH development needs to be a step-wise approach to achieve the ultimate goal.  The step-wise approach needs a clear action plan and milestones to track the progress development.  This road map should also serve as a basic document for different partners aimed on support of KPH development in the provinces including for the government.  KPH road map describes targets and action for development needed accordingly to which different stakeholder can adjust their action plan and support.

The road map however need to be monitored.  As part of the road map, partners in East Kalimantan through “KPH Center” as a kind of working group will develop a computer/web based monitoring system, through which the roadmap progress could be quantitatively measured.

In addition to monitoring process, legal or official status of the road map is also needed.  Hence East Kalimantan government plans to issue this road map as a “Peraturan Gubernur” or Governor Regulation.

Contact for further information:
Duratmo Momo, Provincial Forestry Service of East Kalimantan
Tunggul Butarbutar, Technical Adviser for sustainable forest management, East Kalimantan Coordinator

Created: 29 January 2018