Background

The total area of 476.000 square kilometer has made Sumatera Island as the second biggest island in Indonesia after Kalimantan. Based on data from the center of statistic body, the majority of 44.486.713 total population on this island live in villages next to the forests which cause them relying heavily on forest resources.

The extremely high number of forest resources vanished in Sumatera, followed by constantly rising threat on the remaining of natural forests have been community’s great concern, mainly because of the forest’s vital role in providing community’s basic needs.

Below are couple of information concerning forest degradation in Sumatera:

The central and regional government acknowledge this crucial condition of Sumatra’s forests, and realized that community based forest management process need to be carry out as an alternative for a better management in preserving forests as well as maintaining the balance and sustainability of forests resources. Support from stakeholders through collaboration among them to perform this process has been obtained. Therefore, the main substance of strategy that will be taken by MFP-Sumatera for 2004-2006 period is to promote birth of supporting policies that will support various alternatives in implementing community based forest management. Some of the efforts will be carried out through:

To decrease the rate of forest degradation and conflict in forest resources management as well as to reduce poverty and to develop the economy in forest surrounding’s community.