REDD+ READINESS IN SMALL ISLANDS AND THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT OF STUDY PROGRAM OF FOREST MANAGEMENT, POST GRADUATE PROGRAM OF PATTIMURA UNIVERSITY

by : Dr. Gun Mardiatmoko (gum_mardi@yahoo.com)
(HP:+6281244509130)

COMPETENCY BASED STUDY PROGRAM Indonesia has committed to participate on “Greening Earth Canopy for Bluer Sky in the World” through Indonesia’s strategy for Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Degradation+ (REDD+). REDD+ Program in Indonesia has started with development of Demonstration Activities (D.A.) of REDD+ in some districts or regencies in big island, i.e. Java, Sumatera, Kalimantan, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi and Papua. If the D.A. can be done well and success, REDD+ Program can be continued to mechanism of carbon trade in the international markets in the world. Unfortunately, D.A. of REDD+ until today just implemented in big island and ignoring small islands. As we know, problem of deforestation and forest degradation is not only in big island but also in small islands and basically, the impact of global warming in general more serious in small islands than in big island. In this case, recently The Forest District of Maluku Province in cooperation with Pattimura University has tried to promote REDD+ program through preparation of Project Proposal of Development D.A. of REDD+ in District of Aru Islands, Maluku Province. As illustration, summary of the project proposal can be observed as follows:

Indonesia is experiencing one of the highest rates of tropical forest loss in the world Palm Oil Industries will never be sustainable Effects of Indonesia Forest Fire Tropical Rain Forest Global Warming The Greenhouse Effect Planting and caring for trees The history of forests The structure of forests

PROJECT PROPOSAL: THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEMONSTRATION ACTIVITIES – REDD+ IN KEPULAUAN ARU DISTRICT, PROVINCE OF MALUKU

SUMMARY

Like in almost districts in Indonesia, Kepulauan Aru District, Province of Maluku which consist of small islands have seriously problem with deforestation and forest degradation. The Natural resources of Kepulauan Aru District is a very potential district for fishery development and fishery sector has become as leading sector and prime mover for economical development in this region. Unfortunately, the coastal area has damaged by deforestation and forest degradation activities. In this case, the prosperity of local communities will be achieved if the habitat of coastal area always in good conditions. One of solutions to solve problem is to develop the project of Demonstration Activities (D.A.)-REDD+. The main objective of D.A.-REDD+ is to improve ecological functions and to conserve coastal area from coastal vegetation, mangrove forest, seaweeds, sea grass to coral reefs with participation of all stakeholders involvement (The approach of Integrated Coastal Zone Management, The Implementation of World Conference on Coast-WCC, Netherland-1993).

The Priority of area project for D.A.-REDD+ development is damaged coastal area (90.000 Ha) as follows: Northern, Southern and Western of Wamar Island; Western and Northern of Werilau Island; watershed of Waringin and Sisirwatu rivers; Tunguwatu coastal area and surround small islands. i.e.: Wokam Island, Wasir Island, Ujir Island, Kola Island, etc. The main activities of D.A.-REDD+ : (1) REL/RL Formation; (2) Establishment of MRV System; (3) Institution Development for voluntary market or other manners depend on financial sources from projectct developer; (4) Establishment of sharing benefits mechanism; (5) Capacity building formation; (6) Development of Training Center for the conservation integration of coastal area from coastal vegetation to coral reefs with participation of all stakeholders involvement and (7) Collaborative of local communities. Duration of D.A.-REDD+ Project is 3 years, from year 2011 to year 2013 with total budgets are € 1.300.000. (One million three hundred thousand Euro only). Location of D.A. is presented below. (Keywords: Demonstration Activities, REDD+, REL/RL, MRV System, local community).

Basically, implementation of REDD+ in reality is very complicated and need supporting of scientists or researchers because almost of 35%-55% REDD+ activities must be done by scientists or research for example: application the integration of remote sensing, GIS and GPS in time series assessment of carbon sink and carbon sequestration or carbon stocks and biodiversity, method of forest biomass measurement,  modeling of carbon accounting system, application of Measurable, Reportable and Verifiable (MRV) System, establishment of Reference Emission Level (REL), additionality and leakage and also emission displacement, etc. In the other words for achieving good implementation REDD+ program needs many researchers professional in Maluku. This program is closed related to Kesatuan Pengelolaan Hutan (KPH) development or Forest Management Unit (FMU) that covered management of wood product and non wood product i.e. ecotourism, forest recreation, wilderness, etc. Therefore, forest management study program will refer to competency based study program on two basics: KPH and REDD+.

(Location of D.A. of REDD+ in Kepulauan Aru District)          

According to the explanation above, some main courses that will be developed in study program of forest management are:

1. Biomass measurement (above and below ground biomass, dead wood, litter and soil)
2. Spatial analysis (the integration of remote sensing, gis and gps for land use and land use change of forestry-LULUCF)
3. Carbon analyzing and biomass accounting (for developing REL-Reference Emission Level for REDD+)
4. Carbon trading policy (fund base, market base, over the counter market, etc.)
5. Advance Ecotourism, mainly marine ecotourism (ecotourism planning, ecotourism management, economical ecotourism)
6. Integrated small islands conservation (from lowland forest area, mangrove forest, seaweed, sea grass to coral reef as unity in conservation management)
7. Greenomics.
8. Empowerment of local community and entrepreneurship.

The Development of D.A. REDD+ program and Study Program of Forest Management in Maluku Province needs financial support so much. We hope the develop countries or UN REDD, NGO or the other stakeholders can participate and involve on these programs.