Kemenhut Says Local Wisdom is an Important Aspect of Sustainable Forest Management in Papua

Forest illustration (Ist)

Papua - The Indonesian Ministry of Forestry said it would prioritize local wisdom values in managing sustainable forest areas in Papua, especially Papua Mountains.

This was conveyed by the Expert Staff of the Minister of Forestry for Climate Change, Prof. Haruni Krisnawati, in a written statement in Wamena, Monday, saying that in the management of sustainable forest areas in the Papua Mountains and Papua in general, aspects of local social and local wisdom must be prioritized.

"The aspects of social values and local wisdom are inseparable in the management of sustainable forest areas in the Papua Mountains so that the objectives to be targeted can be achieved by being able to maintain and protect the Papua Mountains optimally," he said, quoting ANTARA, June 1.

According to him, currently there is a global climate agenda that will be juxtaposed with the need for sustainable forest area management in the Papua Mountains and Papua broadly.

"The forestry sector, which is in the future planning, is referred to as the Forestry and Other Land Use sector or Folu (forestry and land use), where the goal is to achieve Indonesia's emission target growth," he said.

He explained that almost 60 percent of the target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions was imposed on the Folu sector, so cooperation with all parties, both central and regional, private, academics, community groups and medical is very important in supporting this target.

"Papua Pegunungan's forest areas are still relatively good. According to the exposure of the Secretary of Papua Pegunungan, almost 80 percent of the forest areas in this area are still well maintained and very good," he said.

He hopes that the forest area in the Papua Mountains can become a stronghold in maintaining Indonesia's tropical forests so that they are able to absorb greenhouse gas carbon globally.

"We ask for the support and real participation of the governors, regents of eight districts in Papua Mountains in maintaining sustainable forest areas in this area, so that the target in screening greenhouse gas carbon globally can be realized," he said.

In the future, he said, with good forest area management by the regional government, both the province and the eight regencies, they can open "doors" of support from foreign countries in order to manage sustainable forest areas sustainably.

Forest areas in the Papua Mountains region are recorded to have an area of 5.1 million hectares spread across eight regencies, including Jayawijaya, Lanny Jaya, Nduga, Tolikara, Yalimo, Central Mamberamo, Yahukimo and Bintang Mountains.