Strengthen and Widen Community Forest System in Punan Basap, Kalimantan - phase 2

Berau district in east Kalimantan is still relatively highly forested, and home to several indigenous Dayak communities as well as immigrant communities (mainly Bugis). The forest is under increasing pressure of illegal and legal logging and land conversion for plantations. From March-October 2005, the NGO MENAPAK has carried out the project Strengthen and Widen Community Forest System in Punan Basap, Kalimantan. This project has made a first step in organising and empowering the Punan Basap community.The village government of Teluk Sumbang, the chief of the Basap community, and a Christian priest gradually became interested to support the further development of a community forest system of the Punan Basap. A documentary was made on the community forest system of the Basap and community mapping was done, resulting in a map of the customary grounds. Information on the wisdom on forest management of the Basap and their customary forest area was disseminated to governmental institutions and a network of NGOs, resulting in the awakening of a discourse about alternative models for forest management. Follow-up of this first project phase is needed, especially because there is a further need to empower and educate the (virtually illiterate) Punan Basap communities; the ongoing illegal logging activities and threats of opening up of large scale plantations and logging operations need further action; application of the traditional laws which deal with natural resources management is still weak; and the community forest system which was developed by Punan Basap Community still has no formal recognition. Therefore a proposal for a follow-up phase was developed. Main goal of this second project phase is to enhance the Punan Basap community capacity and traditional institutions on Community-Based Forest System Management. Objectives: Increasing Punan Basap community capacity in developing knowledge about community-based forest system management, continuation of environment, organizational ect; Punan Basap Traditonal Institutions Reinforcement; The promotion of Punan Basap community-based forest system management. Activities: Regular discussion (village, sub-district and district level); Customs and traditions documentation related to local wisdom in managing forest resources; Apprentice/ appeal study on traditional forest management (Muluy village); Field Assistance (Tradition Institutional Assistance); Capacity improvement training on traditional institutions; Producing promotional materials such as regular information papers; and the distribution of these to the government authorities and NGO network. Expected results: Citizen of Basap have knowledge about community-based forest system management, strengthened community organisation, more care for environment; Tradional laws documented relating to forest management; The board of Basap traditional institution can see and learn about community-based forest system management and is better organised in Muluy village; Existence of promotional materials on Punan Basap Community-based forest system management promotion More outsiders know and respect community-based forest system management of Punan Basap.

Based on the information in the final report, the project has led to: - Capacity building of Punan Basap - knowledge about community-based forest system management acquired through regular discussions. - Punan Basap Tradition Institutional Reinforcement - a documentation was performed of customs and traditions concerning the management of forests and their resources; a study was conducted on traditional institutions (apprentice/appeal) ; field assistance and training was provided to community organizers. - Promotion of Punan Basap community management model - production and distribution of promotion media such as information papers (four editions), T-Shirts and others. However, an external project audit was performed and showed that not all of the above mentioned outputs were actually achieved and that improvement of project management is required.