Enviro News Asia, Pekanbaru – Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry gathered 30 outstanding young participants for the Forest Youthverse Summit Regional Pekanbaru, held on July 16–17, to strengthen youth leadership, innovation, and collaboration in forest conservation across Sumatra.
The summit, themed “Forest for Future Generation: Youth Action for Forest Conservation toward a Greener Future,” was organized by the Center for the Development of Forest Conservation Youth (Pusgenri) under the Human Resources Extension and Development Agency (BP2SDM) of the Ministry of Forestry, in collaboration with the BP2SDM Regional Office II in Pekanbaru.
The event marked the culmination of a mentoring program consisting of Mentoring Classes and Coaching Classes. Thirty participants were selected from an initial cohort of 50 candidates to advance to the summit, where they further developed conservation initiatives and leadership skills.
During the first day, participants engaged in a series of nature-based learning activities, including tree planting, exploration of the Pekanbaru State Forestry Vocational School Arboretum to study tree diversity and carbon stock assessment, and practical training in forest seedling cultivation. They also took part in an ecoprint workshop and the Forest Connect session, which promoted communication, trust-building, and collaboration among participants from diverse backgrounds.
The summit continued with the Forest Innovation Workshop, where participants worked in groups to develop Innovation Boards proposing solutions to forestry challenges in their respective regions. The exercise emphasized collaborative problem-solving as a key driver of innovation.
On the second day, participants joined the Forest Youth Forum to discuss major forestry and biodiversity issues, including climate change, wildlife conservation, peatland ecosystem management, community empowerment, and the development of a green economy. Each group subsequently presented its proposals during the Forest Innovation Pitching session before forestry practitioners and stakeholders, receiving feedback to strengthen the feasibility and impact of their initiatives.
Head of the Center for the Development of Forest Conservation Youth, Luckmi Purwandari, said the Forest Youthverse program represents the Ministry of Forestry’s long-term strategy to develop a generation of young people committed to tangible conservation action rather than conventional training alone.
She emphasized that addressing today’s forestry challenges requires not only government policies and technological advances but also young people who demonstrate environmental awareness, creativity, courage, and the ability to build effective partnerships.
Meanwhile, Head of the BP2SDM Regional Office II in Pekanbaru, Manahan Simangunsong, described the summit as a strategic platform for fostering environmental awareness among young people while strengthening collaboration to protect Sumatra’s forest landscapes.
He expressed hope that participants would become local leaders, educators, and advocates for forest conservation upon returning to their respective communities. He also reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to supporting future Forest Conservation Youth through partnerships with local governments, Ministry of Forestry agencies, universities, schools, community organizations, and environmental groups.
Following the summit, all participants will become members of the Forest Conservation Youth (Genries) network, where they will continue to receive mentoring to implement their innovations, expand cross-sector collaboration, and lead conservation initiatives in their home regions.
Through the Forest Youthverse initiative, the Ministry of Forestry aims to strengthen the National Forest Conservation Youth Movement by integrating education, leadership, innovation, practical action, and collaboration to develop a new generation capable of addressing future environmental challenges while safeguarding Indonesia’s forests. (*)
