Project News

Project on Capacity Building for Restoration in Conservation Areas

1. Introduction

Some areas in Gunung Ciremai National Park need restoration efforts to regain ecosystem condition due to agricultural utilization, forest fires and former timber exploitation. This restoration effort requires a multi-party participation since scale of activities and funding is quite large. One of efforts to accelerate the implementation of restoration is carried out by cooperating with agencies such as JICA through agreement with the Directorate of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation, Ministry of Forestry.

Then, next step is involving private sector to participate actively through mechanism of Community Social Responsibility (CSR).  In the early stages of implementation of the Project on Capacity Building for Restoration in Conservation Areas, JICA facilitates Group to implement restoration program in 50 hectares area in Lambosir Site, Gunung Ciremai National Park.  This restoration projects are planned for 5 years (2010 -2014) through planting and maintenance of plant until it naturally forms ecosystem formations.

Launching of this program is done through planting ceremony that formally launched by Regent of Kuningan on December 2, 2010 and attended by executives from the Yamaha Group.  Planting ceremony organized by the Faculty of Forestry, University of Kuningan (UNIKU) in accordance to service agreement No. 005/JICA-RECA/XI/2010 November 2, 2010. The outline of the activities include: repairing roads; repairing bridges and implementation of the planting ceremony.

2. Scheme of Activity

Figure 1 Scheme of Activity

3. Implementation of Planting Ceremony

Implementation of planting Ceremony is meant to mark the commencement of restoration project in Gunung Ciremai National Park. This activity involves Kuningan Local Government, Stakeholders in Kuningan Local Government, Elementary School, and local community. The main objective of the implementation of this activity is to provide socialization to public about Yamaha’s plan for restoration area. This ceremony is carried out through delivery of objectives and targets by the Yamaha Group's, signing of declaration to support restoration projects; planting trees in an area of 0.1 ha; and environmental education for students of elementary school around the planting area.

Tree planting for ceremony is carried out in area of 0.1 ha and 150 nursery trees consist of five local endemic species; Kedoya (Dysxylum amoorides MIQ); Kareumbi (Homalanthus populnes OK); Salam (Eugenispolyantha WIGHT); Huru (Litsea sp); Caruy (Pterospermum javanicum).

Table 3. VIP Participants of Tree Planting

In addition to ceremonial planting, environmental education to students is also held in this event. This activity is aimed to deliver the importance of protecting and maintaining the environment, especially forests. Environmental education is given to elementary school students who participate in this planting ceremony by explaining, using comical description about planting and maintaining trees.

4. Conclusion

Planting ceremony is the beginning of the restoration effort of conservation areas in Gunung Ciremai National Park. The involvement of all parties agreed to support the restoration in accordance to their function and roles are expected can accelerate recovery of areas in Gunung Ciremai National Park. Conservation area will provide benefits to people and support development by ensuring environmental carrying capacity is functioning properly.

Assembly 170 people

Local Pupil

Planting Local trees