1 julho 2020 2020 - 2027
Ongoing
Sungai Linau Landscape Programme
The Sungai Linau Landscape Programme is a collaborative initiative aimed at protecting the buffer zones of the Giam Siak Kecil–Bukit Batu Biosphere Reserve (GSK-BB) while enhancing the livelihoods of surrounding communities. Convened by Proforest, the programme was initiated in 2020 and is funded through a coalition of companies, including PepsiCo, Nestlé, IFF, Lactalis, Musim Mas, and APP. The programme operates in five villages in Siak Kecil Subdistrict, Bengkalis District, namely Sungai Linau, Tanjung Damai, Sumber Jaya, Bandar Jaya, and Lubuk Gaung. Proforest also collaborate with other organisations, such as WRI, CER, PPSW Riau, YMI, and PRAHU.
The program seeks to integrate forest protection and community development through a landscape approach by focusing on key priorities: forest monitoring and protection, peat restoration, and livelihood improvement for oil palm smallholders and local communities.
This approach is supported by participatory and socially inclusive methods that actively capture the aspirations of stakeholders who are closely connected to, or residing within, these critical ecosystems.
The programme aims to establish a participatory monitoring and response system covering 45,000 hectares of peat forest. Currently, the programme is developing an integrated dashboard that will serve as a platform for forest monitoring and coordinated action. This dashboard will enable stakeholders to track deforestation alerts and collaboratively validate alerts generated by the system. To ensure effective response, stakeholders have committed to enhancing coordination through dedicated WhatsApp groups and discussing follow-up actions in regular multi-stakeholder focus group discussions (FGDs). Additionally, the program supports participatory mapping to identify critical protection areas and indicative areas for social forestry within the landscape villages.
Efforts to protect 10,000 hectares of peat forest within the GSK-BB area are also underway. The program provides continuous operational and technical support to the Sungai Linau Community Forest Institution / Lembaga Pengelola Hutan Desa Sungai Linau (LPHD), which manages approximately 5,897 hectares. This support includes equipping community patrol teams with personal protective equipment (PPE) and facilitating routine patrols. Additionally, the program collaborates with the District Forestry Office to promote social forestry awareness in the target villages. Furthermore, to strengthen fire prevention capacity, fire mitigation training has been delivered to village-based Community Disaster Team / Masyarakat Peduli Bencana (MPB) in Sungai Linau, Tanjung Damai, Bandar Jaya, and Sumber Jaya.
Restoring degraded peatlands through rewetting interventions is another key component of the program. In the current year, the program targeting the construction of five units canal blocking in Sungai Linau and Bandar Jaya. These structures are expected to improve water retention across an estimated area of 9,000 hectares.
Beyond environmental objectives, the program is equally focused on enhancing local livelihoods. Socioeconomic surveys have been conducted to better understand community needs and opportunities. Several alternative income initiatives are being supported, including palm stick (lidi sawit) facilitated through village-owned businesses (BUMDes), as well as the establishment of nurseries and coffee agroforestry activities. These activities aim to diversify income sources and strengthen economic resilience of local households, while decreasing the pressure on natural ecosystems.
The program also prioritizes capacity building for independent oil palm smallholders. To date, a total of 300 farmers has received training on Good Agricultural Practices. In the next phase, the program will focus on measuring the impact of this technical support, as well as providing further assistance in complying with smallholder database registration / Surat Tanda Daftar Budidaya (STDB).
In practice, implementing landscape level initiatives comes with complex challenges on the ground. Operating in remote areas with limited access often poses logistical difficulties, with seasonal floods disrupting activities and cases of illegal logging creating not only environmental threats but also safety risks for local communities engaged in forest protection. These realities highlight the importance of collaboration among stakeholders. The involvement of local stakeholders is especially critical to ensure that actions are grounded, inclusive, and sustainable. Continues collaboration will be key in navigating these challenges and driving collective impact.
For more information, please contact putri.rengganis@proforest.net
