To gain a better understanding about the Law 23/2014 on Regional Governments and its implications, the East Kalimantan Provincial Forestry Service in collaboration with FORCLIME held a focused group discussion (FGD) on 6 October 2015 in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. The event was attended by representatives of government organizations in East Kalimantan, including the district/ city forestry service, the Regional Development Planning Board (Bappeda), the Organization Bureau as well as the Legal Bureau of the Province Government Secretariat.

The issuance of Law 23/2014 is going to lead to some significant changes at district level such as, for instance, the revocation of authorities for those district development aspects with broader implications and the need for integrated management. Under Law 23/2014 these items will come under provincial authority.

In the forestry sector, district governments are currently intensively establishing Forest Management Units (FMU), which until now had been registered as Technical Implementation Units (UPT) under the district forestry service. With the dissolution of district forestry services as a result of Law 23/2014, the position of FMUs – both related to budgeting and organization – is not well-defined any more and needs to be reformulated.

During the FGD, participants discussed various issues related to the implications of the Law 23/2014 on forest management and governance in East Kalimantan, and endeavored to find solutions and propose them to the local and central governments.

For further information, please contact:
Tunggul Butar Butar, Senior Adviser for Forest Management Unit development