Enviro News Asia, Palu — Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry is strengthening the role of forestry extension officers in mobilizing local communities to prevent forest and land fires, emphasizing that public awareness and participation are essential to protecting forests.
The initiative was highlighted during a technical training programme for forestry extension officers held in Palu, Central Sulawesi, on Nov. 12, 2026. The programme was organized by the Forestry Extension Centre under the Ministry’s Agency for Extension and Human Resources Development (BP2SDM).
The hybrid training involved forestry extension officers from the Central Sulawesi, Maluku and North Maluku provincial forestry services, as well as technical implementation units of the Ministry of Forestry operating across the three provinces.
Head of the Forestry Extension Centre Wahju Rudianto said improving the officers’ capacity was a strategic step toward more effective forest and land fire prevention and control.
He said forestry extension officers played an important role throughout the fire management process, from early prevention and preparedness to supporting communities after fires.
“Forestry extension officers are not only responsible for providing information but must also be able to mobilize communities and build public awareness,” Wahju said.
He added that knowledge gained through the training should be shared with forest farmer groups, communities living around forest areas and other local stakeholders to strengthen their understanding of fire prevention.
Wahju stressed that effective fire prevention required more than technical expertise. It also depended on clear communication, continuous public education, intensive community assistance and local empowerment.
Central Sulawesi Forestry Service Secretary Abdul Rahman, representing the provincial forestry agency head, said prevention and mitigation should take priority over firefighting after fires had already occurred.
Forest and land fires pose serious threats to forest resources, biodiversity and the social and economic well-being of surrounding communities, he said.
Rahman described forestry extension officers as frontline actors in delivering information, educating residents and building awareness of the importance of preventing fires. He also thanked the Ministry of Forestry for supporting efforts to improve the officers’ capacity in Central Sulawesi.
The ministry said sustainable forest management depended not only on government policies and enforcement but also on public awareness and participation.
Through closer cooperation among government agencies, forestry extension officers, local communities and other stakeholders, the ministry aims to improve fire prevention, strengthen sustainable forest management and support more independent and prosperous communities around forest areas. (*)
