Hundreds of years of mineral mining activities in the Bangka Belitung Archipelago Province, still leaves thousands of hectares of critical land. Efforts have been made to plant, namely acacia, sea sengon cypress, cashew, rubber, oranges, avocados, to hybrid coconuts. However, not all of them are able to restore ecosystems, socio-cultural values, and the forest economy to their…
Flood tides began to recede, the streets were not yet completely dry. That morning, Cantika Ariani, went to school barefoot. She lifted her white skirt to calf height while carrying shoes. Arriving on dry roads, Cantika hitched a ride to wash her feet at her neighbor’s house and then put on her shoes. Cantika does this regularly because…
About 85 Madopolo fishermen from Bisa Island, North Obi, South Halmahera, North Maluku, gathered in front of the Central Madopolo Village Hall. That day, Tuesday (24/1/2023) made them happy because they would be handed over a fishing fleet document or what is known as a Vessel Document Registration Certificate (TDKP). There are 120 TDKP documents for…
Sumaji Pandu Alam (57) looks at the oil palm seedlings in his yard, for next year’s replanting . This is a type of marihat seed planted at a distance of 9×9 meters. The crown is smaller than the average palm which can reach 7-8 meters. Sumaji is an independent oil palm smallholder and has partnered with a palm oil…
The presence of Government Regulation in Lieu of Law Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation or Perppu CK is still causing polemics to this day. The regulation, which was issued on December 30, 2022, is still considered unconstitutional because there was a process that was not carried out properly. With this stamp attached, all developments…
The coastal reclamation activity carried out by PT TJ Silfanus on Minanga Beach, Malalayang 1 Barat Village, Malalayang District, Manado City, North Sulawesi Province drew strong protests from the local community. Protests were made, because there was damage to coral reefs during the ongoing reclamation activities. In fact, the beach area is claimed by the community…
The air began to feel warm, that morning. A 20-year-old youth is observing the trees on the west side of Mount Tilu, West Java. With a monocular and a tripod, he was looking for the presence of the rhino hornbill which usually perches in fig trees. The Tilu Mountain Forest in Kuningan Regency, West Java, is a…
In terms of global mercury emissions, Indonesia is among the highest. According to UNEP data , Indonesia ranks third after India and China. Most emissions come from small, community-managed gold mines, often illegal. Another report stated that miners use more than three thousand tons of mercury per year throughout Indonesia. Mercury, hydrargyrum [Hg], or common people know it as mercury, is used…
A number of hamlets in the wetland area of Ogan Ilir [OI] and Ogan Komering Ilir [OKI] Regencies, South Sumatra, are centers for fresh water fish. Changes in the landscape make fish populations continue to decrease. A number of fish culinary traditions are also in danger of being lost. “It’s been difficult to make sale ikan [smoked…
Last year was closed with the government’s controversial move to issue Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) Number 2/2022 concerning Job Creation. The regulation that came out suddenly caused various reactions. Various groups of civil society organizations criticized the government and considered the Perppu as an attempt to escape from the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) Number…
Biofuel development policies (BBN) in Indonesia are a response to dependence on fossil fuels and climate change mitigation strategies. Along the way, the biofuel policy which was originally multi-commodity became dominated by palm oil, because it was considered abundant. A study by the Sustainable Madani Foundation shows that biofuels still have governance challenges from ecological, economic and…
Dharma Pinem, sitting relaxed enjoying a cup of coffee, when we met him in Timbang Lawan Village, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra. This man is special. Since 2015, together with some of his friends he has founded the Bahorok Hijau Community. The idea started with the unrest of the community, who planted oil palm but did not make…
Conflicts over communal land between communities, government and companies are like endless labyrinths. The DPRD of West Sumatra also took the initiative to draft a regional regulation (raperda) on Ulayat Land. Various civil society organizations provided input and notes on what needs to be watched out for in this draft regional regulation. “Together with several civil society…
Officers from the Conservation Section II of Gorontalo, the North Sulawesi Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and the Sulawesi Security and Law Enforcement Agency, managed to stop the smuggling activity by illegal animal trading networks. Six animals, consisting of four proboscis monkeys or proboscis monkey ( Nasalis larvatus ) and two Javanese gibbons or silvery gibbon ( Hylobates moloch ) were confiscated. Syamsuddin Hadju, Head of the…
On the left and right of the road along Toiba Village, Bualemo, Banggai, Central Sulawesi, this is a stretch of oil palm. This oil palm plantation is a concession of PT Wira Mas Permai (WMP), a subsidiary of PT Kencana Agri. The garden has been around since 2009. WMP obtained a location permit for 17,500 hectares from…
Garbage continues to be a problem in various regions in Indonesia. The management of waste management is still chaotic. Prigi Arisandi, Executive Director of Ecoton said, until today the government is still not serious about waste management. Based on Ecoton data, only 60% of waste can be handled and transported. Supposedly, waste management should be completed at the…
“I have, I own. Just take a look if it wasn’t me who planted it, while there is where my house used to be. I don’t let them take it,” said Hairani, a woman from Tobelo Dalam, complaining that the forest which is her living space is slowly disappearing recently. Together with Turaji, her husband, she lives…
Piles of coal piled up on the banks of the river in Sanga Sanga Muara RT 7, Sanga Sanga District, Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan, last January. Two excavators are in action collecting the jet black object at the coal stockpiling port in the middle of this settlement. This allegedly illegal coal mine was stopped when there…
Hunting and gathering and gardening, that’s the life of the indigenous people in the Grime Nawa Valley, Papua. They live from the forest. At least, there are seven tribes living in this valley which is located in Jayapura Regency, Papua. There are the Kemtuk, Gresi, Namblong, Uria, Elseng, Aotaba, and Tecuari tribes. They live and are scattered in the…
The rain has just stopped in Batanghari Village, Rawa Pitu District, Tulang Bawang Regency, Lampung, Monday (24/10/2022) morning. Rokani prepares to harvest the palms. Using a motorbike, he carried a scythe which was later connected to iron up to 11 meters long. This 58-year-old man works as a wage laborer for oil palm harvesters owned by…
The concept of animal welfare, both wild and domesticated, is not very popular in Indonesia. Animal welfare, in fact, is basically the same as human welfare. The thing that sets it apart is that animals cannot verbally express what they feel. Globally, there are five basic principles of animal welfare that have been recognized, namely animals free from hunger…
Wahyudi (44), was clearing wild plants that had vines on his palm trees when we met him in Tumpakrejo Village, Malang Regency, East Java . Even though he lost money, he still kept his two palm trees, in the hope that one day the trees would be profitable. ” Niki Sisane (this is the rest),” he said. Wahyudi is one…
Black, reddish brown, orange, yellow, white, blue, and green. The colorful feathers of Cendrawasih, endemic to Papua, are usually worn as a crown on the head of a traditional leader or ondoafi (ondofolo) to show honor. The use of the cenderawasih crown can be seen in various major traditional events, dances, receptions and weddings. He is a…