The Issuance of government regulation, PermenLHK No. 83, on Social Forestry opens up opportunities for villages in forest areas to improve village community economy through social forestry businesses through Village Forestry scheme. This opportunity is actualized by Gemawan in order to improve the community economy in Dusun Besar Village, Pulau Maya District, Kayong Utara Regency.
Long before the regulation was issued, Gemawan has been working to enhance community participation to protect forest areas in community settlement areas in Dusun Besar. According to an activist of Gemawan, Welli Arma, Gemawan also initiated the utilization of HHBK (Non-Timber Forest Products) in forest areas. This was conducted for the sake of improving the community economy in forest areas, ”he said.
With the Village Forest Management Institution (LPHD), Gemawan conducted an identification of HHBK potentials to be developed through various Social Forestry Business Groups (KUPS). “This activity, besides explaining the concept of forest protection from massive deforestation caused by the plantation industry, also making use of the existing HHBK to be developed through the Social Forestry Business Groups in Dusun Besar Village,” Welli explained on Tuesday (15/12).
A similar thing was also stated by Nurdin, Head of the LPHD of Dusun Besar Village. The assistance for the Social Forestry Business Groups initiated by Gemawan greatly helped the movement of LPHD to increase public awareness on the importance of protecting forest areas in their village. According to him, this scheme can contribute positive values to village communities who have formed groups, and even become a pilot reference in the improvement of community economy through planned activities
“We expect that the assistance from Gemawan will become a reference concept in other villages around the forest area, and increase public awareness about the importance of protecting forests and forest utilization in the village, merely for the benefit of village communities,” hoped Nurdin. (WA)