The President Director of Perum Perhutani, Wahyu Kuncoro, said that the government wants 2.4 million hectares of forest on the islands of Java and Madura to be managed with the principles of being environmentally sound and sustainable. According to him, Perhutani cannot do this management alone, so it is necessary to collaborate with partners, one of which is UGM.
“Managing this vast forest, we are open to collaborating with anyone for sustainable forest management. Of course, what we do is beneficial for the community and the environment for education, research, and community service around the forest,” said Wahyu after signing an online Memorandum of Understanding between UGM and Perhutani and Bulungan Regency Government on Tuesday (6/4).
Wahyu mentioned 2.4 million hectares of forest on the islands of Java and Madura, 860 thousand hectares in West Java and Banten, 600 thousand hectares in Central Java, and around 1 million hectares more in East Java.
Through collaboration with UGM, Wahyu hopes to improve the management of Forest Areas with Special Purposes (KHDTK). Perhutani supports programs on forest management carried out by UGM in the fields of education, research, and service for the communities living around the forest. “Since 2016, UGM has managed forest areas covering an area of 10,901 hectares in Ngawi and Blora with specific objectives for education and training purposes. This activity has benefited the community,” he said.
UGM chancellor Prof. Panut Mulyono said that the existing cooperation with Perhutani should continue and improve forest area management with specific objectives. “Through this collaboration, we can realize the planning made by the Dean of Forestry and the team for better management to provide greater benefit to the local community,” he said.
In addition to providing benefits to communities living around forests, forest management with this specific purpose, according to him, can provide opportunities for students and lecturers to carry out practical work and research in the forestry sector.
Meanwhile, the Regent of Bulungan Regency, North Kalimantan, Syarwani, said that collaboration in education, research, and community service with UGM should support various development programs in Bulungan Regency in the next five years. “We are very grateful for the assistance from UGM in the preparation of a spatial plan for the development of Bulungan recently,” he said.
In addition, the poverty reduction program and the achievement of SDGs targets according to the regent are priority programs that will include collaboration with UGM.
