FSC advocate awarded for promoting responsible forest management in Indonesia

Silverius Oscar Unggul, Vice-President of Telapak, has received two prestigious awards for his efforts promoting responsible, community-run forest management in Indonesia - a country where illegal logging has left two thirds of the forests in critical condition. Among his social and environmental work, Unggul facilitated a community in the South Sulawesi province to unite as a cooperative and receive the first FSC certificate in Indonesia.

UN FAO ‘State of the world’s forests 2007′ FSC certificate database: www.fsc-info.orgUnggul was presented with the World Saver Award from Condé Nast Traveler in September 2008. The award is given to environmental visionaries who have found innovative solutions to complex environmental issues. These endeavors often also promote poverty alleviation and social justice within their own communities.

In December last year, Unggul shared the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award with Telapak CEO Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto. In collaboration with Indonesian Ernst & Young, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship grant the award to social entrepreneurs that demonstrate large-scale, transformational benefits for marginalised populations or for society at large.

Under current Indonesian regulations, only private companies and the state can harvest timber. Local communities are limited to managing non-timber forest products. Unggul created an enterprise model that empowers forest dwelling communities, and provides them with economic incentives to get involved in responsible timber harvesting by creating cooperatives that manage their own enterprises.

In partnership with the Tropical Forest Trust (TFT), Unggul and his organisation Jaringan Untuk Hutan (JAUH) supported the FSC certification process for the Koperasi Hutan Jaya Lestari (KHJL) cooperative. JAUH facilitated the coordination of the small forest holders located in Konawe Selatan District in the South Sulawesi province into a cooperative that applied for FSC Group certification, the first granted in Indonesia and a milestone for FSC.

The cooperative’s primary reason for becoming certified was the strong demand for FSC timber among European and American buyers, as well as from TFT member factories in Java. JAUH organized the community into a cooperative and, with help from TFT, linked the community with national and international buyers. Since FSC certification in 2005, KHJL received a price premium for their FSC timber of four times the value before certification. Moreover, at the end of the year the surplus profit is shared with each member.

The community established a management plan based on potential teak availability and in turn developed a tree nursery. They also arranged a community watch to help enforce regulations and protect the forest against illegal logging. This effective system was consequently taken up in six neighboring villages.

The success of this model coupled with additional lobbying by the community and JAUH, has led the Indonesian Forestry Ministry to grant logging concessions to other forest dwelling cooperatives. The new social plan covers 38′958 ha and affects 17% of the population in the South Konawe district.   

JAUH is a network of environmental and social NGOs working throughout South East Sulawesi province with expertise on community organization, government advocacy and media campaigns. Telapak is an association of non-governmental activists, business practitioners, academics, media affiliates and leaders of indigenous people.