SIGI, October 1, 2026 – The Indonesian Social Forestry Management Alliance (AP2SI), supported by Burung Indonesia, officially held a Program Socialization activity at the Walatana Village Hall, Dolo Selatan District, Sigi Regency, Central Sulawesi on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The hybrid meeting was attended by 30 people, including representatives from the village government, LPHD administrators, representatives from the Village Development Planning Agency (KUPS), community leaders, traditional leaders, women's representatives, and youth representatives. Three national administrators in Bogor also attended via Zoom.
This event marks the start of a 15-month mentoring program titled “"Community and Conservation Synergy: Strengthening the Institutional Structure of the Walatana LPHD as a Fortress for Biodiversity Conservation in the Tokalekaju Mountains, Central Sulawesi"”. The initial steps in Month 1 aim to build transparency, understanding, and shared commitment to ensure the smooth running of all future project stages.
Walatana Village Forest has an area of 1,275 hectares and is part of Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) Tokalekaju Mountains. This area serves a crucial ecological function as a habitat for endemic animals such as the Sulawesi Hornbill, provides environmental services, and supports the local economy through the use of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) such as rattan and bamboo.
Although management rights have been guaranteed through a Ministerial Decree since 2018, the Walatana LPHD still faces real challenges. These challenges include the lack of baseline data (baseline) social, economic, and ecological issues, the lack of a regular area protection system, and the suboptimal institutional framework of the HHBK Social Forestry Business Group (KUPS). This program is a strategic solution to address these governance challenges.
The outreach activity was officially opened by the Walatana Village Head and the Head of the Walatana LPHD. In their remarks, they expressed their gratitude and affirmed their full support for this initiative, ensuring forest sustainability and the well-being of the local community, particularly in Walatana Village.
The main material presented at this activity was regarding the AP2SI profile, grant framework Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), a 15-month work plan, and a complaint handling channel were presented directly by the AP2SI Project Team. Upholding the principle of equality, the composition of participants is ensured to be inclusive by involving minimum 30% female representation And 20% village youth. The meeting was interactive, featuring discussion and question-and-answer sessions to gather aspirations and direct input from residents.
As a concrete manifestation of the established understanding, the activity concluded with the preparation and signing of a Joint Agreement Minutes by the AP2SI Team, the Village Head, the Head of the Walatana LPHD, representatives of traditional/community leaders, and representatives of women/youth. This initial agreement served as the green light for the implementation of the next crucial agenda, namely the survey. baseline social, economic, and ecological which is scheduled to run in the 2nd Month.
