FORCLIME supports efforts aimed at achieving a healthy, prosperous and sustainable society and harmonizing both human and environmental health, in this case within forests, as both of these areas are ultimately highly interrelated and inter-reliant. Forest conservation programmes that are realized through health services for communities living in and around forests have been successfully developed by the Alam Lestari Foundation (ASRI) in West Kalimantan and were subsequently presented to FORCLIME. FORCLIME has praised this initiative and is hopeful that ASRI will ultimately be able to develop conservation-based health services in Tanah Papua. Indeed, FORCLIME considers the push to link aspects of health to forest protection to be a strategic step for the future. As a result, FORCLIME has pledged its support for a feasibility study, an important first step in this direction. This study will be implemented in Jayapura Regency (Papua Province) and Tambrauw Regency (West Papua Province) and, in line with this plan, the FORCLIME Team in West Papua held an online meeting with the ASRI Foundation on 13 August 2021. The meeting addressed preparations for the undertaking of a feasibility study that will target the selection of suitable locations for the development of a forest conservation-based public-health programme. The results of this study will determine the type of programme that will be implemented. The programme itself will take a conservation-based approach to health by considering the various socio-cultural characteristics of the local community. Moreover, the programme’s implementation will involve various related parties, including the Center for Natural Resources Conservation (BBKSDA) in West Papua, the University of Papua and the Tambrauw District Health Service.

Additional FORCLIME support for the preparation and development of a forest conservation-based public-health programme will take the form of internship opportunities for students from local universities, who will assist ASRI in the implementation of the feasibility study.

For more information, please contact:
Nita Yohana, Adviser for sustainable forest management and Coordinator for West Papua Province
Melanesia Brigite Boseren, Junior adviser for rural livelihood, forest management and conservation
Mohammad Sidiq, Strategic area manager for sustainable forest management and Coordinator for Papua and West Papua Provinces