Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — Since the Kick-Off Meeting of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Customary Forest Designation on May 9, 2025, the National Secretariat of the Task Force, under the Directorate for Tenurial Conflict Resolution and Customary Forests (PKTHA), has moved swiftly.
Efforts to build collaboration with civil society organizations (CSOs) and donor institutions are ongoing to ensure the task force can work more effectively.
On Tuesday (July 1, 2025), Minister of Forestry Raja Juli Antoni led a closed meeting with the Task Force, accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Forestry and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Forestry.
According to an official statement from the Ministry, several CSO representatives working on customary forest issues were also present, including HuMa, the Indigenous Territory Registration Agency (BRWA), WALHI, the World Resources Institute (WRI), the Community Forestry Communication Forum (FKKM), academics, and officials from the Ministry itself.
PKTHA Director Julmansyah presented the progress of the National Secretariat’s work, including preparatory discussions and support coordination with the Norwegian Embassy, the Environmental Fund Management Agency (BPDLH), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Informal meetings with various CSO groups have also taken place. Julmansyah reported that the customary forest designation between May and June 2025 has reached 50,984 hectares.
During the meeting, the Minister emphasized the importance of mapping potential areas for customary forest designation that face minimal issues and are ready for designation, incorporating inputs from CSOs who are also members of the Task Force’s National Secretariat.
The Minister further stated that the Task Force serves as a collaborative platform for all stakeholders to accelerate the designation of customary forests.
He also took the opportunity to respond to all questions from both CSO representatives and academics.
One of the key issues raised during the meeting was the registration of customary forests that are no longer categorized as State Forests but still maintain the status of Forest Areas.
This concern was brought up by Dr. Soeryo Prabowo from the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) and will be further discussed within the Ministry of Forestry. (*)
