Bird of Paradise – Tablasupa Papua
The issue of biodiversity with the climate crisis is actually interrelated. The climate crisis is one of the main causes of biodiversity loss, and other factors such as unsustainable food production and excessive use of natural resources. Likewise, the biodiversity that exists in nature is the key to success in reducing global temperature increases. For example, forests and peatlands are able to absorb carbon emissions that are intertwined in the air.
Publication in Science in 2024 on biodiversity trends and scenarios support this argument. According to the study, global biodiversity declined by 20% to 2% during the 11th century due to land use alone. The study presents a comparison of biodiversity and ecosystem service projection models using a series of land use and climate change from 1900 to 2015 and three future scenarios from 2015 to 2050. The results of the study indicate that climate change could be a major driver of biodiversity decline by the middle of the 21st century. Another report from the 6th IPCC (intergovernmental panel on climate change) assessment in 2023 involving hundreds of scientists warned that a 1,5 degree Celsius increase in global temperature would cause a 14% loss of biodiversity in vulnerable species in forests and lands, and a loss of at least 70% of coral reefs. The report also calls for the importance of environmental protection efforts by restoring and rehabilitating land, forests and seas by working directly with and supporting Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. Adequate direct funding to reduce fatal damage to the earth is also urgently needed. As a scientific projection, this report is very accurate and has been proven that before reaching 2030, global warming has reached 1,5 degrees Celsius in 2025.
Indonesia itself has a wealth of biodiversity that is very diverse in the world. In terms of forest cover, Ministry of Forestry informs on its official website that Indonesia has 95,5 million hectares of forested land in 2024. To hutan hujan tropis, Indonesia ranks third in the world after the Amazon Forest in Brazil and the forests in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Known as a maritime country, Indonesia has total area of waters about 6.400.000 km2. Related to types of ecosystems and species the government released data that has been successfully identified until 2022. As a result, Indonesia has 22 types of ecosystems, 31.902 species of flora, 81.260 species of terrestrial fauna, and 7.841 marine fauna. Research E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation said that Indonesia has 3.306 species of land vertebrates and 1.004 species of endemic land vertebrates.
Biodiversity is a support system that exists in ecosystems and nature and has a vital role in human life, as well as for a wider scope in the universe. If described, biodiversity is in the form of a network that supports each other. Each species and organism in it has its own unique role that maintains the survival of this nature. If only one part of biodiversity is lost, it will affect its balance, and disaster-scale chaos may occur as a consequence.
In human life, biodiversity provides food sources and other natural resources related to the fulfillment of human needs for buildings, clothing, and so on. Likewise in human culture. Biodiversity is also embedded in the traditions and arts of Indonesian society that we can find in various forms, such as batik, weaving, paintings, folklore, and carvings in traditional villages. In agriculture, biodiversity plays an important role in controlling pests and diseases; microorganisms help loosen and fertilize the soil. In more specific landscapes, we also know that swamp and mangrove ecosystems help maintain water quality as well as habitat for other species, birds and insects work in pollinating plants, and that forest ecosystems have a direct link in regulating climate.
However, biodiversity in Indonesia is under threat. Large-scale projects related to energy, mining, toll roads, and food have sacrificed tens of millions of hectares of forest areas on various islands, such as Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Papua. Development projects have also damaged coastal ecosystems, such as mangrove forests, coral reefs, and seagrass beds almost evenly across various islands in Indonesia such as Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua.
Given the vast and complex nature of the issue of saving biodiversity, it certainly requires hard work. The involvement of many parties is a necessity here because the impacts felt have touched various lines of space and groups as Nusantara Fund is trying to do. Nusantara Fund as an organization that channels direct funding to Indigenous Peoples, People's Organizations, and Local Communities, farmers, fishermen, women, young people, tries to inspire many groups from the story of the movement to save biodiversity that protects the archipelago.
Intercropping Agriculture in the Dieng Plateau
Protecting the Archipelago
As explained, biodiversity is manifested in many networks and various roles that are so complex and support each other that provide natural climate solutions. To achieve biodiversity sustainability can be done in many ways. At least, there are four categories related to the big theme of biodiversity in the program funded by the Nusantara Fund. The first category is planting with the intention of maintaining the diversity of organisms in forest areas and in community settlement areas as well as for the restoration and rehabilitation of critical land. Second, critical education that increases public awareness of the importance of maintaining forest ecosystems. Third, sustainable agriculture or food production. And, finally, related to the preservation and protection of forest areas, rivers, coasts, and wildlife.
In the first category of initiatives for planting, restoration, and land rehabilitation, there are 17 initiatives. The Balik Sepaku Tribe Indigenous Community, for example, planted various tree seedlings, such as ironwood, petai, lime, meranti, and Borneo cherry. They also produced customary laws that regulate the use of resources in the forest. The Sitonong Indigenous Community planted andaliman, aren, coffee, and candlenut in the former company area after planting eucalyptus trees in North Tapanuli. Still in North Tapanuli, the Ompu Bolus Simanjuntak Indigenous Community planted 17 thousand seedlings consisting of coffee, cloves, cinnamon, jengkol, and soursop on 20 hectares of collective land. The Ompu Umbak Siallagan-Dolok Parmonangan Descendants Indigenous Community carried out rehabilitation on 4 hectares of land with coffee, candlenut, jengkol, and petai tree seedlings. The Pari Island Care Forum (FPPP) built a nursery house and planted mangroves to protect the coastal area of Pari Island. They, more precisely the women's group FPPP, also expanded the struggle by inviting visiting tourists to get involved in the mangrove planting action. In addition, FPPP also transplanted coral reefs in the sea of Pari Island which was badly damaged. In Buleleng, Bali, the Pedawa Traditional Village Community planted 400 sugar palm seedlings to protect their water source which was in crisis due to the tourism industry. The Balai Tamunih Traditional Community in South Kalimantan also planted sugar palm, petai, coconut, avocado, and durian seedlings. In Banjarnegara, Central Java, the Banjarnegara Community Farmers Association (Hitambara) planted durian, coffee, and avocado seedlings for the sake of the beauty of their mountainous region.
Tree planting initiatives are also taking place in Eastern Indonesia. The Indigenous People of the Aru Islands have planted 200 tree seedlings in the Nata Rebi Customary Forest. In Gowa, South Sulawesi, around 4000 tree seedlings consisting of karoti, asa, enau, eucalyptus, white teak, and sengon trees were planted by the Suka Indigenous People. The planting action also restores their noble tradition of planting trees when giving birth, when their children grow up, and when they get married. On Seram Island, Maluku, the Negeri Laiyuen Community also planted nutmeg, clove, rambutan, and enau tree seedlings to restore critical land. The Wotai Indigenous People rehabilitate collective land by planting nutmeg and rambutan tree seedlings. Moving further to the eastern horizon, the Klisi Indigenous People in Jayapura planted 500 ironwood, matoa, coffee, and sago tree seedlings.
In the critical education initiative, to strengthen public awareness of forest area protection. A proud initiative comes from the Tilung Indung Indigenous Women in South Kalimantan. The Tilung Indung Indigenous Women increased the literacy of women's groups. The results were no joke, as many as 50 women increased their literacy. With adequate literacy, Indigenous Women increasingly have knowledge that prevents them from deception that intends to seize their forests, living space and livelihoods. The second community is the Traditional Fishermen's Association (ANTRA) of North Sulawesi. ANTRA together with the coastal communities of Manado City organizes an education program that will complement efforts to fight to protect coastal areas. The third initiative is the Alliance of People Demanding Justice (AMMK) in Jambo Reuhat, East Aceh. AMMK raises advocacy education aimed at securing forest areas from illegal logging and the release of disputed land between the Jambo Reuhat community and palm oil companies in East Aceh. AMMK also planted 10 thousand coffee seedlings, 1.500 nutmeg seedlings, 5 thousand cocoa seedlings, and a thousand papaya seedlings on 81 hectares of land.
In the sustainable agriculture category there are four initiatives with various agricultural models supported by Nusantara Fund funding. The first model is an agricultural system that combines agricultural crops with woody plants or known as agroforestry (agroforestry). The second model is similar to agroforestry but also combines agriculture and livestock in one management area or agrosilvopasture. The last model is intercropping, which is a farming system of two or more types of plants in one area.
For the agroforestry model farming system, it is represented by the Karya Maju Social Forestry Business Group (KUPS) in Sorolangun, Jambi. KUPS Karya Maju manages a sustainable telisak coffee plantation. In addition, they also combine coffee plantations with the presence of Sialang trees which play a role in the production of forest honey. Furthermore, there is the Bukit Kumbang Farmers Group in Bengkulu as a community that practices agrosilvopasture. This group is able to combine coffee plantations and chicken farms in one area. In the future, they also plan to cultivate fish in the water reservoirs they built to collect rainwater. Finally, there are two initiatives that practice the intercropping farming model: the Aryo Blitar Farmers Association and the Rempang Bersatu Indigenous and Local Communities. The Aryo Blitar Farmers Association cultivates coffee integrated with nutmeg and vanilla as shade for the coffee plants. Meanwhile, the Rempang Bersatu Indigenous and Local Communities are building a nursery center and demonstration plot for secondary crops, such as chili, kale, and basil which play a role in collective land restoration.
There are nine initiatives in the category of conservation and protection of forest areas, rivers, coasts, and plants and wildlife. These initiatives include 7 forest area conservation and protection; 2 coastal area conservation and protection; 1 wildlife conservation and protection. Sanggar Alam Delima (SAD) in Jambi built a pendopo that functions as a monitoring and patrol post to prevent forest and land fires. Still related to forest fires, KUPS Jasa Lingkungan Henda Lestari Pulang Pisau, Central Kalimantan, created a 4 thousand meter long green firebreak and planted 3 thousand belangiran tree seedlings on the firebreak path. KUPS Gula Aren Kampung Silit, Sintang, West Kalimantan mapped aren trees to support traditional aren sugar production efforts. The Mosintuwu Community in Poso, Central Sulawesi, also mapped bee food source trees that are very helpful in pollination and preserving biodiversity in forest areas. In Sigi, Central Sulawesi, the Mantikole Village Forest Management Institution (LPHD) optimized institutions to secure and protect forest areas and build a sustainable forest product utilization system through various environmentally friendly efforts. The Nusantara Lestari Ecology Foundation (Ekonesia) together with the Uampane Forest Farmers Group (KTH) of Pulu Village, Sigi, is protecting forest areas by proposing a village forest scheme. Furthermore, in Jayapura, the Nature Lovers Group (KPA) A'Memay carries out efforts to protect forest areas and build monitoring posts for endemic animals, birds of paradise. Finally, efforts related to coastal area protection are represented by the Sungai Cemara Village Community in Jambi and FPPP on Pari Island. The Sungai Cemara Village Community cultivates and plants mangroves on the coast of East Tanjung Jabung, while FPPP plants mangroves and coral reef transplants on Pari Island.
Mangrove Plants – ANTRA Community
A Glimmer of New Hope
In decades to come, the trees planted today will grow thickly covering the barren land, the bare mountains. The rivers will flow clear again. Schools of fish will swim freely around the vast coral reefs that stretch across the seabed. The forest, with its towering trees, has become a friendly place for the species within it. Children of the future will happily run around the forest, listening with awe to the cicadas that make noise on the pine trunks. That is the picture we can imagine if the efforts to preserve biodiversity that have been made by the Protectors of the Archipelago are successful.
This means that the planted trees are not cut down on a large scale for industrial interests. There is no more land grabbing or eviction of people from their production land in the name of investment. Food production is carried out by prioritizing concern for nature. Fishing is carried out within reasonable limits and in environmentally friendly ways. The practices of capital interests must also be able to consider the issue of preserving nature and fulfilling the basic rights of the community. Only then will the imagination of a beautiful natural painting with groups of people living in it be realized.
Indeed, fundamental changes are needed at the level of habits, behavior, and our mindset in viewing the existence of nature and its contents. That nature no longer occupies a position only as an object that complements human needs. But positions humans in a symbiotic chain that is directly related to nature. Public policies are also needed that are able to limit destructive activities while also being ears to accommodate marginalized voices in various regions in this country. These public policies are also able to condition society towards an imagination of the ideal. We need to replace banal imaginations about the destruction of nature with stories of its preservation and its guardians. Only then can the work of the Protectors of the Archipelago throughout the country give meaning to the presence of humans in the universe.
Knowledge about protecting nature is embedded in the daily lives of people at the grassroots level. "This bird of paradise is one of the icons. Specifically, Papua, this is our endemic animal that we need to protect. If we don't protect the bird of paradise, we will be the same as the Bali tiger." Silas Nicodemus Demetow, a member, explained KPA A'memay. "The Bali tiger is just a memory. Don't let that happen in Papua."
“Before there was a government, there was already a custom. God is also in the custom, constantly reminding us about how to protect the forest. Our forest is a customary forest, we are Indigenous People, our ancestors are also Indigenous People, the sea is a customary sea. So that the community remains committed, whatever the reason, it must be recognized by the state.” He added.