Mulya Sari Lebak Banten Community Forestry Group Strengthens Community Forest Land Management (HKM)

In August 2023, farmers belonging to the Mulyasari Forest Farmers Group (KTH) in Cilangkap Village, Wanasalam District, Lebak, successfully obtained rights to their community-managed area through the Community Forestry (HKm) scheme. These management rights are stipulated in the Decree of the Minister of Environment and Forestry (LHK) number SK.8057/MENLHK-PSKL/PKPS/PSL.0/8/2023, which grants 339 families access to manage 388 hectares of land. This decision then encouraged KTH Mulyasari to further strengthen the recognition and governance of its cultivated land through area planning activities and the preparation of a sustainable forest management plan.

However, during their journey, after gaining access to Community Forest (HKm) management, Mulyasari farmers still experienced various challenges in carrying out area planning activities and preparing forest area management plans that had been determined because it required the involvement of various parties and stakeholders, increased technical skills in implementing activities and quite high costs.

With support WALHI and AP2SI, KTH Mulyasari successfully mapped the outer boundaries of its management area, which were recognized and agreed upon by the adjacent villages, and obtained certainty over the boundaries for each member of KTH Mulyasari for each of their cultivated lands. Another result was the difference in boundaries during the mapping between the newly created map agreed upon by the adjacent villages and the boundaries on the map contained in the Ministerial Decree of the Environment and Forestry. This then encouraged KTH Mulyasari to submit a revised map of its management area to be ratified in accordance with the new map produced to the Yogyakarta BPKHTL.

Furthermore, KTH Mulyasari also successfully developed a Social Forestry Management Plan (RKPS) and an Annual Work Plan (RKT), further strengthening the institutional and land management of Community Forests in a more effective and sustainable manner. Consequently, farmers have improved technical skills in mapping and strategies for strengthening land management in Community Forest (HKm) areas, contributing to the prevention and resolution of land management conflicts, as well as reducing deforestation rates and improving environmental quality.